Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Forgotten Sword Cemetery

Dadaupa Gorge, Forest Path.

Under the ordinary wind glider, shadows caressed Fischl's snow-white back, while the incoming breeze lifted the hem of her purple-black dress, revealing the triangular black silk bodysuit underneath.

One leg was clad in semi-transparent black tights, while the other wore an over-the-knee garter stocking, revealing a glimpse of her pale thigh.

This subtle asymmetry surprisingly complemented Fischl's striking appearance and unique personality.

Balancing herself, she gently landed on the muddy ground, retracting her wind glider. Nolan followed suit.

Ahead, they spotted a group of dark hilichurls blocking the path.

"These hilichurls are such a nuisance, setting up a watchtower right in the middle of the road," Nolan said, slightly exasperated.

As adventurers, encountering such a situation meant they were obligated to clear it if they had the ability.

"Hmph~ Stupid Attendant, this is perfect. Join me in vanquishing them!" Fischl declared, her hand glowing with a bright light that materialized into a longbow.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

Nolan responded, drawing his Dull Blade. The glint of the blade seemed to catch the hilichurls' attention, and they immediately noticed the two intruders.

"YA!"

Through Nolan's golden Eye of Judgment, he saw two level-20 hilichurl berserkers and several lower-level hilichurls charging toward them.

"Stupid Attendant, you handle the front. I will target their archers and shamans!" Fischl commanded, raising her arm parallel to her shoulder, revealing the unguarded pale skin under her arm. She pulled the bowstring, and purple lightning began to envelop the arrow.

"Got it," Nolan agreed readily. He also had the exact same intention.

Intense flames wrapped around his blade. With a powerful leap, his sturdy adventurer boots broke the air barrier, swiftly maneuvering between the trees. The next moment, the reflective sword tip sliced through the neck of a hilichurl berserker.

Blood spurted out as the hilichurl berserker, propelled by its remaining momentum, stumbled forward a few steps before collapsing.

*[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 433 Adventure EXP.]*

Ignoring the notification on his character panel, Nolan swiftly dispatched two nearby hilichurls before directing his sword toward another berserker.

With his current strength, he could easily one-shot enemies lower than his level, thanks to his weapons, artifacts, personal skills, and character specialties.

*Adventure EXP +133*

*Adventure EXP +153*

*Adventure EXP +392*

After taking down three more monsters, Nolan glanced at the watchtower, noticing that Fischl and Oz had already cleared out the hilichurl archers and shamans.

The bodies had precise, lightning-imbued arrows embedded in their foreheads, including one hidden in the bushes.

"When did your archery become this accurate?" Nolan asked in surprise, looking at Fischl.

Although Fischl's archery skills were not bad, he had previously estimated her proficiency to be around level four or five.

Now, from such a distance, to hit so many hilichurls in the forehead and penetrate their bone masks—this must be around level seven or eight in proficiency.

Improvement this rapid, could it be that you're cheating too? Nolan thought with a slight smile.

"Hmph! The Princess has always been like this!" Fischl put away her bow, raising her fair chin slightly with a look of pride.

"In fact, Miss Fischl practiced the archery technique recorded on the Dvalin scale all night and learned some useful skills," Oz said, having just finished off the last hilichurl and flying back to the blonde girl's side with a flutter of his dark wings.

"Oz, you talk too much!"

Fischl placed her hands on her hips, her fingers pressing against the slight translucence of her pale skin showing through the black stockings on her abdomen, expressing her annoyance.

"What?!" Nolan's face showed surprise. "You learned an Arcane-Level archery technique that quickly?"

"For the Prinzessin der Verurteilung of the Immernachtreich, no knowledge is beyond grasp with a mere glance," Fischl replied, her lips forming a soft arc.

"As expected of the Princess," Nolan said with a smile.

Of course, Fischl couldn't have mastered it with just a glance. The secret likely lay within that scale.

Nolan then destroyed the watchtower the hilichurls had built in the middle of the path, collecting the dropped materials, primarily their bone masks. He had to admit, the hilichurls were indeed quite ugly beneath those masks, no wonder they wore them.

No wonder even they themselves disliked it.

After clearing up, the two continued onward. It wasn't long before they reached the shallow lake, or rather, the shallow swamp at the heart of Dadaupa Gorge.

On their way, they had spotted it from afar while flying with their wind gliders.

Meanwhile, Nolan had taken back the Dvalin scale from Amy and studied it. He discovered that the archery technique recorded by Venti on the dragon scale was actually a form of memory transfer.

It was easily imprinted in one's mind, which explained how Fischl managed to grasp the basics overnight and incorporate the techniques into her archery.

"The fundamental parts of this archery technique are manageable, but the advanced sections involve wind elemental power, which doesn't suit Miss Fischl very well. Therefore, she couldn't practice it to a high level," Oz explained.

He had watched over Fischl's training the previous night and thus knew a bit about this "Divine Generation Archery."

Even without mastering the higher levels, the basics alone were beneficial for Fischl, given that it was an arcane-level technique.

Nolan, relying on his mastery of several max-level ordinary archery skills as base, managed to grasp the basics as well, likely quicker than Amy.

*[Skill Acquired: Divine Generation Archery · Arcane Level Lv.1 (1/5000)]*

'Holy crap, a skill that requires five thousand Adventure EXP to level up. When will I ever max this out? With that many Adventure EXP, I could raise my overall level significantly,' he thought.

They trudged along the dirt path, their shoes caked in yellowish mud. During Nolan's practice, they had unknowingly reached the shallow water area at the heart of Dadaupa Gorge, where a semi-transparent energy shield sealed the sword cemetery.

A woman with long black hair and half-rimmed glasses was pacing back and forth there, looking rather troubled.

"Why haven't they arrived yet?" Dr. Livingstone muttered to herself, her curved forefinger pressed against her chin.

Even as the two approached, she seemed lost in her own world, oblivious to their presence. Finally, Nolan spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Hello, are you Dr. Livingstone?"

"Eh? Oh, hello there. Sorry, I was a bit distracted. Yes, I'm Livingstone. And you are?" She adjusted her glasses, looking at the young man and woman with a hint of confusion.

"We're here to help with the sealed sword cemetery," Nolan explained.

"Ah, wonderful! Thank you for coming," Dr. Livingstone said, her face lighting up with relief.

As they prepared to tackle the task at hand, Nolan couldn't help but think about the journey ahead and the challenges they would face together.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Sneaking into the Hilichurl Camp

"Hello, Doctor. My name is Nolan. This is my companion, Fischl, and her familiar, Oz. We are the adventurers who accepted your commission," Nolan introduced himself with a smile, then gestured to Fischl and Oz.

Livingstone looked slightly surprised upon hearing this.

If she remembered correctly, one of the newly announced Honorary Knights by the Knights of Favonius was named Nolan.

Moreover, he resembled the portrait she had seen, bearing the distinct features of someone from Liyue.

"So, it's you, Honorary Knight! I heard you played a part in driving off the Stormterror. Your abilities must be exceptional. It seems I might finally succeed in unsealing the sword cemetery with your help," Livingstone said excitedly.

"You're too kind. Whether we can assist you remains to be seen. First, tell us your plan," Nolan replied thoughtfully.

The golden sunlight reflected off the shimmering water, casting mirror-like reflections of their silhouettes.

"Uh-huh!" Livingstone nodded vigorously.

"This place was once an ancient battlefield. The triple elemental seal was set up to protect the artifacts within the sword cemetery from being tainted by monsters. After extensive research, I've identified the key nodes maintaining this seal by tracing the elemental flow. If we can activate the elemental monoliths at these three key points, the seal will dissipate."

The water reflected the profile of the blonde girl, her right leg encased in black silk stockings, adding a blurred "background filter" to the scene. Fischl lifted her fair face slightly and parted her lips to speak:

"Oh? Lighting up the elemental monoliths sounds simple enough. Quickly, tell this princess where they are, and we shall set off immediately!"

"It's not that straightforward, Miss Fischl."

Dr. Livingstone said, brushing a lock of hair that was level with her brows.

She shook her head and continued, "Activating the monoliths is not difficult in itself. The challenge is that they are located within three nearby Hilichurl tribes. To get to the monoliths, we must either avoid detection by the Hilichurls or defeat them all.

"Regrettably, despite my intellect rivaling the stars and my courage to brave the Abyss, I lack the strength to defeat the Hilichurls myself!"

So, that's why you had to issue a commission through the Adventurers' Guild. If you had the strength to defeat them, would you be planning to solo the Abyss next? Nolan thought, somewhat amused.

Nolan silently complained in his heart.

"I've tried sneaking into those Hilichurl camps several times, but I always got caught. Luckily, my skills as an adventurer include a knack for escaping," Livingstone said.

"The elemental monoliths are located in the northern 'Meaty Tribe's arena, the southern 'Sleeper Tribe's pool, and the eastern Black Sun(Eclipse) Tribe's camp center. I'll leave them to you two."

Livingstone detailed the information she had gathered.

Fischl crossed her arms confidently and said, "Of course, there's no problem, leave these matters to this princess!"

"Given the current time, you should head to the closest one, the southern Sleeper Tribe," Livingstone suggested.

"Once night falls, they'll be fast asleep. Even the Hilichurls on watch will be drowsy, making it much easier to sneak in."

"That makes sense," Nolan agreed with a nod.

A Hilichurl tribe has at least dozens, if not hundreds, of monsters, some of which are quite powerful. A frontal assault was out of the question.

As night descended, the sky filled with a tapestry of stars. The trio gathered on the flat ground outside the sword cemetery's energy shield, lighting a campfire with the wood they had collected.

They hung a pot over the fire using a triangular wooden frame, and the aroma of mushroom and wild boar stew wafted from the pot.

Fischl sat with her knees slightly bent and her legs together on a log, her soft, bottom clad in a triangular bodysuit, partially hidden by her black silk stockings.

She held a bowl of steaming soup noodles, blowing gently on the surface.

Nolan sat beside her, having already finished his meal. He placed his bowl and chopsticks down and looked up at the starry sky.

"By now, do you think those Sleeper Tribe Hilichurls have fallen asleep? Can we sneak in yet?" he wondered aloud.

He could use his "Concealment Form" skill to sneak in at any moment.

However, activating the elemental monolith might disrupt his invisibility due to the elemental energy involved, making retreat risky.

So it was best to save it for later use.

Fischl sipped her soup thoughtfully before responding. "We should give it a bit more time to ensure they're fully asleep. The quieter we are, the better our chances of success."

Oz, perched nearby, added, "The Prinzessin is right. Patience will be our ally tonight."

"The sky is completely dark now. We should be able to go soon, but to be safe, let's wait a bit longer," Livingstone suggested, glancing upwards.

"Agreed. We've just finished dinner anyway, so a short rest won't hurt," Nolan concurred with a nod.

After everyone had eaten their fill and rested for a while, Dr. Livingstone stayed behind to guard the camp while Nolan and Fischl headed toward the Sleeper Tribe's camp.

A short while later, the two of them crouched outside the wooden palisade of the Sleeper Tribe's camp. They observed the nearby watchtowers and saw that the Hilichurls were indeed dozing off.

Some were even slumped over, fast asleep! Their tribe's name certainly wasn't misleading.

"The whole camp seems to be asleep, and Oz has spotted the Electro Monolith near the pool," Fischl remarked, sharing her vision with Oz.

"Idiot Attendant, this Princess believes we can head straight to the Black Sun Tribe in the east. Let Oz handle the monolith here," she declared.

"That it happens to be an Electro Monolith is convenient. We don't need to intervene," Nolan agreed with a slight nod.

Since the Sleeper Tribe's monolith was an Electro Monolith, Oz could easily activate it from a distance as they moved away.

Even if the Hilichurls were awakened, they wouldn't be able to attack Oz in the sky.

The Black Sun Tribe's camp wasn't too far from their current position. They could climb the mountain wall to their left and walk a bit further.

If they managed to light up two monoliths tonight, they'd only have the Meaty Tribe left for tomorrow, greatly increasing their efficiency.

Although the Black Sun Tribe's Hilichurls were more alert at night compared to the Sleepy Tribe, they had been significantly weakened recently when Lisa had cleared out a large number of them during the retrieval of the Dragon Tears.

It hadn't been long enough for them to fully recover their strength, though they still needed to be cautious of the Abyss Mage who had escaped last time.

Who knows if it has returned.?

With its strength, if Nolan and the others get close to the "Black Sun Tribe" camp, they will soon be discovered, which will be very dangerous.

Nolan considered the situation and said, "We can head toward the Black Sun Tribe but shouldn't get too close. Last time, I encountered a powerful Abyss Mage there. To be safe, let's have Oz scout ahead to see if it's still around."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Cooperative "Illumination"

Windrise Mountainside, Dadaupa Gorge.

After agreeing on their plan, the two adventurers moved stealthily to avoid alerting the Hilichurls. They crept towards the mountain wall on the left, preparing to climb.

Though steep, the wall was dotted with numerous footholds, making the ascent manageable.

"Idiot Attendant, I'll go up first and pull you up after," Fischl whispered, nudging Nolan with her elbow.

"Alright."

Nolan nodded in agreement. They were too close to the Hilichurl camp and had to avoid making any noise that could wake the monsters.

Fischl placed her black high-heeled boots on a protruding rock and pushed herself up, grabbing onto another ledge above. She quickly found another foothold with her other foot.

If one considered the mountain wall as a floor, Fischl was now in a position akin to crawling, her body supported by all four limbs. Her black stockings-clad legs, from the hem of her skirt to her well-shaped calves, appeared graceful and smooth in the dim light.

She began to climb silently, while Nolan positioned himself beneath her, ready to catch her in case she slipped, to prevent any noise that might alert the Hilichurl archers nearby.

Fortunately, such accidents were rare for experienced adventurers. Fischl soon reached the top without incident.

Now it was Nolan's turn. As he neared the top, Fischl extended her pale hand towards him.

There was no hesitation.

Nolan held her hand and was easily lifted up.

However, Fischl's overexertion caused her to stumble backward, landing on the grassy ground. The sharp grass blades tickled the backs of her thighs.

Simultaneously, Nolan, still holding her hand, was pulled forward, falling directly on top of her.

Silently, the young adventurer found himself lying atop the golden-haired girl.

Fischl's black semi-transparent stockings hugged her legs as she instinctively bent them, her thighs pressing together. This subtle movement signaled Nolan to quickly get off her.

He noticed a slight blush on Fischl's fair face, her bright green eyes darting awkwardly to the side.

Nolan leaned down slightly and gently brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth.

Then he pushed himself off the ground, stood up, and extended a hand to help Amy up.

"Hmph, you insufferable fool attendant!" Fischl pouted slightly and glared at him. Considering the nearby monsters, she voiced her dissatisfaction in a whisper.

Stupid Attendant, how dare he take the opportunity to kiss me again! If there's a next time, this Prinzessin will make sure he pays!

"...Let's keep moving towards the Black Sun Tribe."

Nolan smiled nonchalantly and, without missing a beat, wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they continued walking.

"Idiot! I-I can walk on my own!" Fischl protested, reaching behind his back to pinch his waist. Despite her words, she didn't pull away.

She was somewhat used to Nolan's occasional antics by now, and she no longer felt as shy about it. After all, she often saw other couples behaving intimately.

They walked for a while longer before the night raven Oz returned. Curious, Nolan asked, "How did it go, Oz?"

"No problem at all. I dropped a lightning bolt from above and easily activated the Thunder Elemental Monument. The Hilichurls were fast asleep and didn't notice a thing," Oz replied, flapping his dark wings.

"Good, that means we've successfully broken one of the seals," Nolan said, nodding slightly.

He then informed Oz about the potential Abyss Mage in the Black Sun Tribe and asked it to scout ahead.

"Oh? Is that so? Leave it to me," Oz replied confidently before taking flight towards the Black Sun Tribe.

"Idiot Attendant, if there really is a powerful Abyss Mage there, what's your plan?"

Fischl crossed her arms, her pale fingers hidden beneath her arms, pressing against her ribs beneath the short dress.

Fischl tilted her head slightly, a look of curiosity crossing her face. "And how do you plan to do that?" she asked.

"Well..." Nolan pondered for a moment before replying, "Just like before when I borrowed your bow and arrows. You can use Oz's shared vision to aim, and I'll use my archery skills to shoot the arrow from a great distance to activate the Elemental Monument."

This plan was feasible. Previously, they had Paimon assist them in a similar manner, but with Fischl and Oz's shared vision ability, it would be much more efficient.

The only requirement was that the Monument in the Black Sun Tribe must be either water, fire, wind, or lightning.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to imbue the arrows with the necessary elemental power.

Although he had definitely completed this quest when he was playing the game, it had been so much time had passed that he had long forgotten what the element of that Elemental Monument was.

After a short while, the blonde girl beside him suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Nolan asked.

"Oz has come above the Black Sun Tribe's camp, and it's spotted the Abyss Mage patrolling the area!" Even at night, Oz's vision was sharp, and through its eyes, Fischl could see the camp clearly.

The Ice Abyss Mage that had escaped from Lisa had indeed returned, confirming that they would have to execute the long-distance shooting plan.

Nolan nodded and continued, "Did you see the Elemental Monument in the camp center? What element is it?"

"Of course, this Princess has seen it. It's a Fire Elemental Monument," Fischl replied, her green eyes blinking as she felt relieved, knowing that Nolan could use fire elemental power.

"That's excellent. Can you estimate how far we are from the Elemental Monument?" Nolan asked, his eyes brightening with excitement.

"..." Fischl pressed her white finger against her lower lip and thought for a moment, "According to this princess's calculations based on Oz's flight speed as well as the time it took, we are at least seven hundred meters away from there."

"Seven hundred meters is a bit far."

This distance was a bit of a stretch even with Fischl's four-star 'Stringless' and his "Arrow of World's Decent" that could instantly cross three hundred meters of space.

In the end, the two of them came to a position about 500 meters away from the Elemental Monument.

Fischl took out her own longbow and strung an arrow on it, aiming it at a long distance through Oz.

With her current archery skills, hitting a stationary target was almost guaranteed.

Nolan positioned himself behind her, their hands intertwining as they held the bow and arrow together. He infused the arrow with the fire elemental power from his Delusion.

Fischl made a few final adjustments to her aim. She then moistened her dry lips with her pink tongue and said, "It's ready."

Hearing this, Nolan grabbed Fischl's soft and snowy hand and let go of the bowstring together, thus the "Arrow of World's Descent" that the two of them collaborated to shoot instantly disappeared in front of them.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Two People, One Tent?

Three hundred meters away in space.

A red meteor suddenly flew out and continued to fly towards the Fire Elemental Monument in the center of the Black Sun Tribe's camp at an extremely fast speed.

The Ice Abyss Mage who was wandering around the camp was startled by the firelight, and thought that some terrifying fellow had come over to attack this place again.

"Who goes there?!"

It looked over vigilantly, yet it only saw a fire elemental arrow that suddenly hit the elemental square monument in the center of the camp.

The cold wind of the night brushed by, and a bright red light rose up at the elemental square monument, other than that nothing else happened.

"Hmm? Who dares to disturb this mage?"

The Ice Abyss Mage quickly deduced the situation. Some humans were trying to light the elemental monument but lacked the strength for a direct confrontation, resorting instead to this cunning method.

Realizing this, it glared towards the direction the arrow came from and vanished into thin air.

Through Oz's vision, Fischl saw the Ice Abyss Mage approaching their location. She immediately alerted Nolan.

"Run!"

Without waiting to confirm if the monument had been activated, Nolan scooped Fischl into a princess carry and bolted back along their path.

Thanks to his enhanced physical abilities, he could retreat with both of them more swiftly this way.

"Ah!"

Fischl gasped as she was suddenly lifted, feeling the cool wind brush her hair across her face. She quickly retracted her weapon to avoid hindering Nolan's movements.

The surroundings blurred as they sped past, the grass beneath their feet whipping by like fast-forwarded scenery. Everything was a haze of motion.

"Damn humans, where are they?"

The Ice Abyss Mage reappeared at the spot where the fire arrow had been fired. It hovered in the air, scanning the area but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Due to the darkness, it failed to notice the two figures fleeing several hundred meters away.

The mage tapped its staff in the air, conjuring an ice-white circle that expanded and blended into the night.

Several minutes later.

The magical probe returned, indicating no sign of humans within a five hundred meter radius.

"Damn it!"

The Ice Abyss Mage cursed in frustration. Since its last escape, it had become more cautious, suspecting this might be a ploy to lure it out.

For a moment, its thoughts were in disarray.

Without concrete leads, the Ice Abyss Mage decided to play it safe, avoiding the fate of its foolish comrades who had perished without a trace while trying to capture the Stormterror.

With this in mind, it waved its staff and vanished once again.

Fischl's legs, clad in black stockings, dangled over Nolan's arm, gently swaying with his stride. The soft flesh of her calves and the back of her thighs pressed against his arm, reminiscent of sinking into a plush pillow.

After running for an indeterminate amount of time, Nolan slowed to a stop, sensing that the Ice Abyss Mage had not pursued them.

Setting Fischl down, he asked, "How about now? Has it gone back?"

Fischl smoothed the wrinkles in her stockings and tidied her golden hair before replying, "Yes, the Ice Abyss Mage has returned. It didn't notice us or spot Oz in the sky."

"Phew~ That's a relief."

Nolan let out a sigh of relief. The last time he and Lisa encountered that Ice Abyss Mage, it had been at level sixty.

They weren't equipped to handle it directly. If not for his long-range attack capabilities, they would have had to abandon this seal for the time being.

"The elemental monument has been activated, Miss, Sir Nolan we can return to the camp first."   

Night Raven Oz descended from the sky and said with a nod.

"Well, we should be right back to the 'Sleeper Tribe' again up ahead, let's go straight to the right and go down around them."

Nolan said, scanning the path ahead. He decided against retracing their steps.

He and Fischl moved to the right, reaching the top of the cliff before spreading their Wind Gliders and flying towards the Forgotten Sword Cemetery.

Time flew by.

Dr. Livingstone, stationed near the Forgotten Sword Cemetery's seal, spotted Nolan and Fischl returning safely. She rushed out to meet them, elated.

"That's amazing! You managed to break two seals in one go!" Dr. Livingstone exclaimed.

"We were fortunate. We used the cover of night to light the elemental monuments," Nolan replied with a light nod.

"Just as expected from the Honorary Knight!" Dr. Livingstone said, adjusting her glasses to calm her excitement. "Now, only the northern Meaty Tribe remains. Once we light the elemental monument there, the seal on the Forgotten Sword Cemetery should be lifted."

With that, she concluded her enthusiastic praise.

She turned around, clasping her hands together as she gazed hopefully at the last energy barrier surrounding the Forgotten Sword Cemetery.

"Miss Livingstone, it seems quite far. Let's rest for the night and replenish our energy before heading there," Oz suggested, flapping his wings against the night sky.

"Yes, we shouldn't rush this," Dr. Livingstone agreed with a nod.

In the wilderness, neglecting rest could easily result in becoming prey for wild beasts or monsters without knowing what hit you.

The campfire cast a warm glow over the Forgotten Sword Cemetery.

Fischl set up a dark purple tent and crawled inside to rest. Oz and Dr. Livingstone took turns keeping watch to guard against any lurking monsters.

Nolan initially intended to pitch his own tent but paused to reconsider. Given his current relationship with Fischl, it wouldn't be inappropriate for them to share a tent and sleep together.

Deciding against setting up his own tent, he approached Fischl's tent and tapped on the zipped entrance.

"Stupid Attendant, why aren't you resting? What do you want?" Fischl asked, unzipping the flap to glare at him with her emerald eyes.

She had removed her black eyepatch for sleeping, a rare sight for Nolan who was used to seeing her with it on.

"Well, it's just that it might be a bit cold alone, and I thought..." Nolan began, choosing his words carefully, but Fischl's fair cheeks already showed a faint blush.

"Idiot! No way! Don't even think about it!" she exclaimed, quickly zipping the flap shut to block the idiot attendant with impure thoughts from entering.

"Ha ha," Dr. Livingstone chuckled softly at the scene. Clearly, they were a couple who had recently transitioned into a romantic relationship.

Nolan, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and reluctantly set up his own tent next to Fischl's.

The night passed, and dawn brought a pale light to the sky.

Nolan and the others woke early, ate a quick meal, packed up the camp, and set off towards the location of the final and last elemental monument.

After some time, Nolan and Fischl saw the Meaty Tribe's camp in the distance.

"Oz, go ahead and scout," Fischl, experienced as an investigator for the Adventurers' Guild, instructed smoothly.

"Understood, Miss!" Oz responded, flying off to survey the area.

(End of Chapter)

If it's not much, can you guys write a review, if not yet? It will be helpful to reach this story to more people.

Thanks in advance! ✨

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Treasure Chest (2-in-1 Chapter)

On the grand arena of the "Meaty Tribe" Hilichurl camp.

"Bang!"

The heads of two massive Hilichurls collided, their hands locked together, while an invisible shockwave swept the dust from beneath their feet.

The intense collision caused a slight tremor in the arena.

"Ya!"

"Ya!!"

"Ya!!!"

The circle of Hilichurls surrounding the arena cheered with growing fervor at the fierce clash between the two brutes in the center.

Their cheers rose in waves, unceasing.

A raven, as dark as the night, perched on a branch of a tree outside, observing the commotion in the arena.

The raven's eyes transmitted the scene it observed to Her Highness the Prinzessin der Verurteilung behind the scenes.

In a distant meadow.

The grass, about ten centimeters high, brushed the calves of the two figures.

"What's the situation over there?"

Nolan asked the blonde girl, whose arms crossed and eyes closed, and was observing through her familiar, Oz.

Fischl furrowed her delicate brows, opened her right eye—uncovered by her black eyepatch—to reveal an emerald-like pupil, and said: "Those Hilichurls are fighting. It feels... hmm, it feels like they are even stronger than you, my foolish attendant."

"The elemental monument in the center of the arena is of the Ice element. Your technique from last night won't work."

Nolan was a bit surprised by Fischl's words. If the elemental monument was of Water or Wind, he could activate it from a distance.

But it was the ice element.

This meant they would have to get closer and use the Ice Mist Flower stored in Fischl's Vision to touch it directly.

This Ice Mist Flower had been used before by them in the cave to gather water elemental ores.

What was slightly vexing was that these Hilichurls were brawling in groups around the arena. Even if he could sneak in and activate the monument, escaping might be problematic.

According to Fishel's words, the aura of their fight was even stronger than Nolan's.

It was better for him not to go over and join in the fun.

"Those Hilichurls will surely rest at noon, right? We should be able to sneak in then," Nolan pondered for a moment and said.

"The Prinzessin believes that even if they rest, they won't all leave the arena. We might have to wait until nightfall, when they're asleep, to have a chance," Fischl judged, drawing on her extensive investigative experience.

"Ugh, if that's the case, it's a bit of a hassle. We can't afford to waste an entire day," Nolan said, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Hmph, foolish attendant, aren't your arrows capable of traversing space, making it impossible for monsters to trace the source?

"You can attack them from afar and maybe lure them out. Then I'll have Oz use the Ice Mist Flower to activate the elemental monument," Fischl suggested, her pale hand resting on her waist, fingers grazing her soft abdomen.

"Hmm... that might work. We don't have any better options anyway."

After thinking for a while, Nolan found this idea not bad. Even if it didn't work, he could still gain some Adventure EXP.

Having made a decision, the two approached the hillside near the "Meaty Tribe" grand arena and hid in the small forest there.

Unlike the "Black Sun Tribe," the "Meaty Tribe" didn't seem to have powerful Abyss Mages guarding it.

Therefore, Nolan could find a closer spot to shoot his arrows without worrying about being discovered.

Even if they were discovered, the Hilichurls couldn't teleport directly to them, and the time it would take for them to catch up would be enough for them to escape.

The level of danger was within a controllable range, so the plan seemed feasible.

"However, if they are smart enough, they might still figure out our location from the direction of the arrow's tail. For safety, it's best to hide behind the trees."

Given the Hilichurls' intelligence, as long as they didn't see anyone directly, they should still be confused.

Moments later.

Nolan took out an arrow made from a Water elemental crystal, nocked it on the bowstring, and aimed at the two Mitachurls in the center of the arena below.

In Nolan's golden eyes of judgment, they were both level forty-five, no wonder they had been evenly matched.

As he released his fingers from the bowstring, the Water elemental arrow disappeared from sight.

The next second.

The arrow traversed a distance of more than a hundred meters and directly struck the eye of one of the Mitachurl.

"Roar!" The Mitachurl let out a painful howl.

It was in the middle of a fight with another Mitachurl, and the sudden attack caused it to momentarily lose its advantage.

The other Mitachurl, unaware of what had happened, thought it was winning and lifted its opponent, slamming it down.

"Boom!"

The massive impact stirred up a larger cloud of dust on the arena floor.

The Hilichurl spectators continued their enthusiastic cheers, perhaps reflecting the nature of their "Meaty Tribe": they loved meat, muscles, and passionate combat in the arena.

Seeing that the Hilichurls hadn't noticed the arrow stuck in the Mitachurl, Nolan wondered if his earlier worries had been unnecessary.

"Foolish attendant, use a Fire elemental attack now to trigger a 'Vaporize reaction'!"

Fischl prodded Nolan's waist with her pale fingers, urging him on.

"Alright."

Having initially used a Water elemental arrow with the intention of creating an elemental reaction, Nolan had already prepared a Fire elemental arrow.

After a brief aim, another Fire elemental arrow disregarded the spatial distance and appeared before the Water-imbued Mitachurl.

Then, mercilessly, it embedded itself in the same eye it had hit before.

As the flames burst forth, a faint steam rose, and the Mitachurl let out an even louder roar before collapsing on the arena floor, struggling briefly before becoming completely still.

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 1764 Adventure EXP.]

Behind a large, lush tree in the distance, Nolan looked at the notification on the character panel and smiled.

No matter how strong one is, if their head is burned off, there's no way they can survive.

The other Mitachurl, standing victoriously in the arena, scratched its head in confusion as its opponent suddenly went still.

Aren't they usually like this when they fight? They don't just die after a few hits, do they? It wasn't until it noticed the two arrows lodged in its opponent's eyes that the truth dawned on it after a few seconds of thought.

It had been attacked!

"ROAR!" The Mitachurl roared to alert its companions.

The Hilichurls who had been watching also slowly stopped cheering. Soon, incomprehensible language started to echo in the arena. Before long, their cheers turned to anger, and they began looking around for the assailant.

"What a bunch of fools."

Fischl mocked with words, but she hid behind Nolan, to avoid being discovered.

"After all, they're not as cunning as those Abyss Mages. It's understandable that common monsters aren't very intelligent. Otherwise, Teyvat wouldn't be as peaceful as it is now."

Nolan smiled as he spoke.

In terms of strength, generally, monsters have an advantage over humans, and they are more numerous. Thankfully, their intelligence isn't high.

Otherwise, there might be something like a "Hilichurl Empire" or "Slime Dynasty" on Teyvat.

Seeing that the Hilichurls were still in the arena and hadn't come out, Nolan prepared to fire another arrow to attack them.

If a few more of them died and caused chaos, he really didn't believe these Hilichurls wouldn't be scared?!

Thinking this, Nolan aimed his bow at the Hilichurls in the corners of the arena, those who appeared less noticeable. This would delay their discovery and also allow Nolan to gain more Adventure EXP.

To deal with weaker, small-sized Hilichurls, there was no need to use the limited Water elemental arrows or the Fire elemental Delusion, which required time to recharge.

This time, he imbued his arrow with Wind elemental energy, which he controlled himself.

Though he was still a bit clumsy at infusing the arrow with elemental energy, taking slightly longer and only managing ten seconds of infusion time, it was still much better than using limited arrows.

A few seconds later, a Wind elemental arrow was born and quickly shot out by Nolan, hitting a Hilichurl in the corner holding a crossbow.

Adventure EXP +325

This arrow pierced through its head and pinned it to the wooden fence behind it.

Silently, without attracting much attention from the other Hilichurls.

"Damn it, how come you know so many things, foolish attendant!"

Fischl, squatting down with her knees covered in black stockings, showing round and shapely lines, looked at him with a hint of envy in her green eyes.

Water, Fire, Wind elemental arrows, and even space-traveling shots.

And there was her "Great Illusory Golden Eye of Judgment." Thinking of this, Fischl recalled how Nolan had tricked her last time, saying it was obtained through kissing.

Fischl touched her lips, uncertain, wondering if kissing really worked and if she should try it herself.

As she thought about it, an image popped into her mind, and her fair face unknowingly turned red.

"This is actually my talent. I can gain special abilities that match the personality of girls who truly love me, like Her Highness the Princess!"

Nolan laughed as he spoke, while shooting another Wind elemental arrow toward the arena, piercing through an ordinary Hilichurl.

Adventure EXP +298

"Idiot, who truly loves you," Fischl muttered quietly, her face slightly red. She knew she really cared about this annoying guy.

She brushed a golden strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "So, foolish attendant, does that mean you'll have other girls who truly love you in the future?"

Nolan was silent for a moment, but the movements of his hands did not stop, continuously firing arrows out, and one by one, the Hilichurls were transformed into Adventure EXP.

Adventure EXP +356

Adventure EXP +231

Adventure EXP +378

Not wanting to hide or deceive Fischl, he nodded and replied:

"Yes, if I can gain the affection of other girls, I don't think I will refuse or disappoint their expectations."

"Hmph, I knew it! You live with Lumine and go on commissions with her every day. You must have ulterior motives for her!"

Surprisingly, Fischl didn't seem too upset by Nolan's "playboy" declaration.

This was understandable.

A affection level of six is already the peak of friendship, and a level seven is essentially a more intimate lover's level.

Levels eight and nine indicate a very stable relationship, almost unshakable, unless of course, if both parties didn't express their love.

If neither party expresses their love, their relationship won't change much, with feelings hidden in their hearts.

As for level ten, it signifies an unbreakable bond. A loved one being a bit fickle is still acceptable.

Understanding this, Nolan felt a bit relieved.

It seemed that expressing his feelings after reaching maximum affection levels with others should prevent any issues.

"It can't be called ulterior motives. It's just that as we spend more time together, feelings naturally grow, just like with you."

Nolan turned around, smiling, and quickly pecked Fischl on her soft lips while she wasn't paying attention.

"Hmph."

Fischl huffed, rolling her eyes at this shameless guy who always took advantage of her!

At the "Meaty Tribe" arena, with several Hilichurls dead, they were now furiously agitated. After not finding the enemy nearby, they finally left the arena and began searching the camp.

Seeing this, Fischl quickly handed the Ice Mist Flower to Oz in the tree, directing him to use its cold aura to activate the elemental monument.

Nolan, not greedy for more Adventure EXP, saw several level fifty Hilichurls among them.

Better to play it safe and retreat; being caught would make escaping too difficult.

As Oz flew high and discreetly toward the monument, Nolan and Fischl cautiously retreated, heading back to the Forgotten Sword Cemetery.

They trusted Oz to complete the mission successfully.

After running for a long time, they finally saw the Sword Cemetery. From afar, they noticed that the final energy barrier seal had dissipated.

It seemed that Oz had indeed succeeded.

And Dr. Livingstone, with her long black hair and half-frame glasses, was already excitedly researching on various things left behind from the ancient battlefield inside the Sword Cemetery.

She hadn't even noticed their return.

"Hey, Dr. Livingstone!" Nolan called out, a bit exasperated.

"Ah!"

Hearing the shout, Livingstone finally responded, a bit embarrassed:

"Sorry, I was too excited, too absorbed, and didn't notice you.

"As an adventurer and a scholar, nothing is more thrilling than discovering research-worthy treasures!"

Nolan nodded with a smile:

"I understand. According to our commission agreement, the luxurious chest inside will be our reward!"

Underneath the two giant crossed trees at the center of the Sword Cemetery lay a genuine luxurious chest, untouched by Barbatos, just lay there quietly waiting.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Primogems

"This is only right!"

Dr. Livingstone smiled and nodded, indicating that there was no problem, this was indeed something that was agreed upon in the commission.

At this time, Night Raven Oz also returned, bringing back the Ice Mist Flower that was no longer needed to his mistress.

"Such a scene suggests that a fierce battle once took place here."

Oz flapped his night-dark wings, hovering in mid-air, looking at the various rusted swords, both single-handed and two-handed, stuck in the ground of the Sword Cemetery.

Some swords were already broken, making it truly hard to imagine what had happened here.

"Indeed, exploring the unknown history is also the essence of being an adventurer!"

Dr. Livingstone was very interested in all the things left behind in the Forgotten Sword Cemetery.

In fact, most people become adventurers probably to find treasure, but everyone has a different definition of treasure in their hearts.

Mora, artifacts, weapons—these are treasures. While the weapons here were no longer usable, they had new life in archaeological and historical research.

In a way, they were rare treasures as well.

As for Nolan, he naturally preferred the former. After all, he had chosen to become an adventurer for Mora and Adventure EXP.

So, with anticipation, he and Fischl approached the luxurious chest.

"How about you open it, dear Princess? I feel my luck isn't that great."

Nolan thought for a moment and then, with a smile, said to Fischl beside him.

"Who's your dear, you idiot?" Fischl responded with a hint of displeasure.

However, she didn't refuse Nolan's request, placing her fair hand on the lid of the luxurious treasure chest and slowly lifting it open with effort.

Gold! The golden glow of Mora shone from the treasure chest's crevice.

When the lid was fully opened, Nolan saw that, like other chests, it was filled to the brim with Mora. The slight disappointment was that their denomination was still one.

As expected, other treasures besides Mora were buried inside. Nolan and Fischl first collected the Mora together.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

They found a hundred thousand Mora, ten times that of a normal chest.

With the Mora cleared away, the other treasures were revealed.

What caught Nolan's attention the most were ten bright, shiny Primogems!

Calculating at three thousand Adventure EXP per Primogem, there were thirty thousand Adventure EXP here. He had never been so rich before!

Besides the Primogems, there were also two four-star artifacts he had never seen before, some Anemo Sigils, and, unsurprisingly, a Northlander Claymore Prototype.

Now came the dilemma: he could set aside the artifacts and Anemo Sigils for later, but he wanted both the Primogems and the Claymore prototype.

The ten Primogems were worth at least a million Mora, and the claymore prototype, which could be used to forge a four-star weapon, was equally invaluable, starting at two million Mora.

The main value of this luxurious treasure chest lies in these items.

The two four-star artifacts and the Anemo Sigils were worth just over a hundred thousand Mora, and giving them all to Fischl would barely offset the value of the Primogems.

But the claymore prototype was the most valuable item.

Although Nolan had a good relationship with Fischl, he couldn't take all the valuable items.

After all, he wanted to grow stronger himself, but he also understood that others needed to grow too.

Fischl seemed to sense Nolan's dilemma. She crossed her arms under her chest, gently lifting it, and said generously:

"If you want them, foolish attendant, just take them. Give this princess any Electro materials you find in the future!"

She felt she was close to her second breakthrough and needed to prepare the necessary materials in advance.

"Hehe, then I won't be polite."

Nolan smiled after hearing her words and was about to lean in for a kiss, but she pushed him away in disdain.

As she said, neither the Primogems nor the Claymore prototype were useful to Fischl. Letting him use them to create more value was better.

Thinking this, he felt justified in taking the Primogems and Claymore prototype.

Then, he turned to Dr. Livingstone, the black-haired woman with glasses, and asked, "Doctor, are you staying here to continue your research, or will you come back with us?"

"Ah, can you wait a bit? I want to use the Kamera to carefully document everything."

Dr. Livingstone, holding a device that looked like a small wooden box, turned back and requested.

Studying the artifacts within the Forgotten Sword Cemetery wasn't something that could be done quickly, but leaving Dr. Livingstone here alone, amidst so many roaming monsters, was out of the question.

So, she had come prepared with a high-definition Kamera purchased from a Fontaine merchant, capable of capturing images nearly identical to what the human eye sees.

By documenting the significant items in the Forgotten Sword Cemetery, she could return home to study them at her leisure.

Of course, anything that could be taken should be taken, to prevent it from being damaged by any wandering monsters.

"Sure, no problem at all," Nolan nodded slightly. Waiting a bit while she took photos wasn't an issue, and he could use the Primogems in the meantime.

"Uh-huh, thank you very much."

Dr. Livingstone excitedly expressed his gratitude in words.

[Dr. Livingstone Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 213 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.2 (113/200)]

Fischl had already seated herself on a large log lying on the ground, idly examining the two artifacts they had just obtained.

Nolan sat down next to her on the wood log as well, then took out the Primogems from his Delusion one by one and used them all.

[Illuminated In The Radiance Glow Of Dreams And Hopes, Obtained 3000*10 Adventure EXP].

Including the Adventure EXP from defeating the monsters earlier, his total now amounted to over 34,700 points.

This time, he wanted to level up, as for the skills, he would do it next time. His current skills level would be enough for the time being.

With anticipation and a bit of excitement, Nolan opened his character panel and clicked eagerly on the level bar!

'I also wonder how much I can level up now~hehe?'

Adventure EXP -31,500

Lv.31 (0/3100) > Lv.40 (0/4000)

The familiar huge warm energy appeared in Nolan's body, pushing his body to slowly evolve.

The 30,000 Adventure EXP were just enough to raise him to level forty, meeting the threshold for his second breakthrough(2nd Ascend).

Sure enough, the next second, a prompt appeared on his character panel.

[Your Level Has Been Raised To Lv.40, Your Evolution Has Reached A New Stage, And You Can Obtain A "Racial Specialty", Please Choose!]

Three "Racial Specialties" appeared:

[ Spiritual Threads: Significantly increases Mental/Spiritual power. Based on the strength of spiritual power, it can be transformed into invisible Threads that can leave the body and interfere with reality. Currently able to bend a spoon.]

[Overdrive: Temporarily doubles physical capabilities by overloading the body, with certain side effects based on the duration of overdrive.]

[Healing Blood: Stores vitality in the blood, which can heal injuries or be used to heal others. The effect is based on the strength of their own constitution.]

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Spiritual Power

Nolan looked at the three racial specialties and immediately ruled out [*Overdrive*].

Though effective, it had side effects, making it less wise compared to the other two options.

[*Healing Blood*] was quite good, essentially turning his blood into a potent healing elixir that could be used on himself and others.

But it wasn't particularly beneficial for his own needs.

After some thought, he decided on the [Spiritual Threads] specialty.

All three specialties could grow stronger with him, which was excellent, but *Spiritual Threads* was unique.

It was able to utilize spiritual power that normally had no real feeling at all except that he didn't feel tired easily.

It was equivalent to an additional extraordinary power that was distinct from elemental power.

He already envisioned himself flying on a sword using his Spiritual power!

(T/N: Typical Chinese BS ~Sigh)

Generally speaking, any sentient being has some form of Spiritual power, but there weren't many existences that could do it to the extent of externalizing it.

After becoming an adventurer for so long he hadn't seen anyone use something like spiritual power.

Nolan speculated that certain conditions must be met to project spiritual power, or perhaps one needed to reach a certain level of strength. He might ask a knowledgeable librarian about it.

By the way, see if she had any secret books for training spiritual power or something like that.

The information feedback from the *Spiritual Threads* specialty told him that, based on his current mental strength, he could only project invisible Threads within a one-meter radius, strong enough to bend a spoon.

This was far from his dream of flying on a sword.

But he wasn't in a rush. With normal leveling, his Spiritual power would naturally increase. Even without specific training methods, it wasn't a big issue.

The only downside would be a slower growth rate.

Nolan looked at the character panel and saw that he still had more than 3,000 Adventure EXP, and decided to use them on the "Anemo Manipulation" skill.

After all, his Elemental Attachment Time was only ten seconds, which was still too little.

Not long after.

After he invested three thousand Adventure EXP into "Anemo Manipulation", his skill level successfully reached Lv.3.

Name: Nolan Walker

Level: Lv.40 (0/4000)

Race: Human

Title: Honorary Knight

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills: Divine Generation Archery - Arcane Level Technique Lv.1 (1/5000), Anemo Manipulation Lv.3 (1/3000), Concealment Form - Secret Arts Technique Lv.1 (0/1000), Arrow of World's Descent - Secret Arts Lv.1 (1/1000), Royal One-Handed Swordsmanship Lv.10 (Flickering Candlelight, Boundary of Windstill, Charge), Martial Arts Lv.2 (0/200).

Specialties: Descender, Maiden Savior, Monster Slayer, Abundant Life, Gospel of the Sky, North Wind, Spiritual Threads

Adventure EXP: 224

The character panel had undergone significant changes, though only two hundred Adventure EXP remained. Nolan sighed, noting how quickly they had been used up.

After reaching level three in Anemo Manipulation, the duration of elemental attachment to weapons extended to five minutes—more than sufficient.

Additionally, Nolan instinctively learned new techniques like Wind Bullets and Wind Blades, which involved shaping the wind element for attacks.

While waiting, he experimented with his newfound wind element techniques. He discovered that Wind Bullets could create craters in the ground, and Wind Blades could slice through seemingly solid rocks, proving to be quite powerful.

The invisible Threads formed by his Spiritual power were also useful.

For instance, when Fischl wasn't paying attention, he used them to snatch her black eyepatch, playing a successful prank.

The consequence was a stomp on his foot, which hurt a bit.

Before long, Dr. Livingstone had used her Kamera to photograph all the significant and immovable artifacts in the Sword Cemetery.

"Phew, finally done. Let's head back," Dr. Livingstone said, brushing aside the black hair that hung just above her eyebrows and wiping away some sweat.

"Alright, let's go while it's still early," Nolan agreed with a nod.

As the trio departed, the Forgotten Sword Cemetery, standing at the center of the shallow pond, returned to its usual tranquility.

The only difference was probably that when an adventurer came over in the future, they would see the Forgotten Sword Cemetery without the energy shield sealing it.

Those who visit will be able to tell what happened here.

...

Mondstadt, at the city gates.

The rays of the setting sun caressed Fischl's left leg, clad in thigh-high black stockings.

Her pale skin took on a golden hue, seemingly more radiant than the sun itself.

"Thank you both for your help these past few days. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way," Dr. Livingstone said, waving goodbye with her large, fully loaded backpack.

She could barely contain her excitement to share her new findings with her friends in historical research.

"Goodbye, Miss Livingstone," Oz responded, flapping his night-dark wings.

"Then, the Princess shall take her leave as well," said Fischl, her golden hair cascading down her back, as she watched Dr. Livingstone's retreating figure.

However, she didn't leave right away and turned to look at Nolan as if asking if there was anything else.

Nolan pondered a little, took her hand, and said, "It's almost dinner time now, why don't you come to my place and have a meal before you leave?"

"Hmph... well, since the foolish attendant invited sincerely, this Princess doesn't want to refuse your good intentions."

Fischl replied, her pale face tinged with a slight blush. She tried to gently pull her hand away but failed, ultimately turning her head haughtily to the side with a humph.

Nolan looked at her soft profile and delicate jawline, smiling as he said, "Before that, I want to stop by the blacksmith to ask Master Wagner if he can forge a four-star greatsword."

"Sir Nolan, as far as I know, in order to forge a four-star weapon requires not just the right materials but also a very complex process.. It takes significant time and craftsmanship costs," Oz, the night raven flying beside Fischl, chimed in.

"Therefore, as an Honorary Knight, you could ask the Knights of Favonius craftsmen to forge it for you. Usually, they only charge for materials when working for fellow knights."

Such privileges were exclusive to the members of the Knights of Favonius.

Nolan was aware of this option, but it typically applied to standard four-star weapons like the Favonius Greatsword.

The effect it provided to speed up the recovery of elemental energy was of little use to him for the time being. After all, Nolan hadn't developed his own Elemental Burst yet and couldn't use elemental energy.

Elemental Energy was different from Elemental Force, but it was the soft energy that Elemental Force dispersed during an attack.

It can be absorbed by the body to support the use of high-consumption elemental bursts for Vision bearers.

Without elemental energy, forcibly using an elemental burst is dangerous and could result in self-harm due to overexertion.

So, rather than a currently useless Favonius Greatsword, he preferred a weapon that would boost his attack power.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Moonlight (2-in-1 Chapter)

The Blacksmith Shop.

Nolan decided to check with Wagner to see if there were any suitable weapons for him, keeping the Favonius Greatsword as a backup option.

He arrived at a brick-shed-like structure with no barriers, allowing a clear view of the interior.

To his surprise, the burly blacksmith wasn't there.

"Hello, Master Wagner has gone to discuss white iron ore supplies with a vendor. Can I help you with something?"

Schütz, who was practicing his blacksmithing skills, stopped and greeted them with a smile.

"I see."

Nolan nodded and then asked,

"Schütz, I want to know what four-star greatswords your blacksmith shop can forge. If there's something suitable, I'd like to commission one."

Hearing Nolan's request, Schütz's eyes widened. Forging a four-star weapon was a significant order. If Master Wagner found out he secured such a big job, he'd surely be pleased.

However, they had just taken an order for a four-star weapon from Bennett a couple of days ago, so this new request might take some time to fulfill. Schütz needed to clarify this to avoid causing any inconvenience.

Schütz organized his thoughts and explained the types of four-star greatswords Wagner could forge, along with the potential delay due to their current workload.

The blacksmith shop had blueprints for three types of four-star greatswords:

- Mondstadt Fortress Replica – known for its defensive capabilities.

- Moonlight Greatsword – focused on enhancing attack power.

- Gale Greatsword – which Nolan hadn't heard of but was said to enhance elemental reaction damage.

Defense and attack were straightforward concepts. Nolan guessed that the Gale Greatsword likely increased elemental mastery.

The shop didn't have weapons like the **Whiteblind** or the **Prototype Archaic** found in the game, which surprised Nolan.

But upon reflection, it made sense. These weapons had their own unique origins in reality and were not merely conveniently placed in a blacksmith shop for players.

For instance, the **Prototype Archaic** was likely a weapon from Liyue, so it wouldn't be unusual for it to be absent from Mondstadt's blacksmith shop.

After Schütz's detailed explanation, Nolan was most interested in the **Moonlight Greatsword**, which directly enhanced attack power.

The **Mondstadt Fortress Replica** wasn't suitable since Nolan didn't specialize in defense, making it less cost-effective.

The impressive-sounding **Gale Greatsword** also didn't seem to fit his needs.

After a brief contemplation, Nolan asked,

"If I provide the claymore prototype, how much Mora would it cost to forge a 'Moonlight Greatsword'?"

"Actually, without a weapon prototype, Master Wagner couldn't forge it for you. Those are quite rare, and it's uncertain if we'd even get one in a year," Schütz said, shrugging helplessly. Then he continued,

"As for the crafting fee, you'd need to ask the master directly. But from what I know, due to the complexity and difficulty of crafting a four-star weapon, Master Wagner's fee has never been less than two million Mora!"

Huh!?. Nolan was momentarily stunned. The crafting fee alone was that high?

He only had one hundred and twenty thousand Mora in total—far short of the fee. Suddenly, the Knights of Favonius' Favonius Greatsword seemed like a more suitable option.

Fischl discreetly nudged Nolan with her elbow, encased in black silk sleeves, her soft lips parting slightly as she spoke,

"Foolish attendant, do you need this Princess to lend you some Mora?"

As an investigator for the Adventurers' Guild, her missions were often perilous, but the rewards were high.

So, she had some savings.

Nolan was tempted by her offer.

However, after considering it, he realized that forging a weapon at the blacksmith's shop would take some time. During that period, he could complete several commissions and save up the remaining Mora.

This way, he wouldn't need to borrow money from little Amy.

"Ahem, thank you, Your Highness, but I'll leave the claymore prototype here as a deposit. When Master Wagner completes it, I'll come back to pay and pick it up. Does that sound good?"

Nolan shook his head, declining Amy's kind offer, then turned to Schütz.

"Uh-huh. Of course!"

Feeling that this big order was already secure, Schutz hurriedly nodded his head and replied.

After leaving the claymore prototype at the blacksmith shop, Nolan and Fischl headed to the meat and vegetable market to buy some ingredients before returning to his home on Val Berry Street.

"Oh? Is this where you live? It's quite nice," Fischl said, her legs wrapped in knee-high semi-sheer black stockings, standing relaxedly outside, surveying the two-story house that was beginning to blend into the night.

"Yes, if you ever want to go on an adventure with me, you can come over anytime. Or you could even stay here with me."

Nolan said to Fischl with a smile on his face.

"Hmph, foolish attendant, always pushing your luck!"

Fischl retorted, crossing her arms and tilting her pale chin upwards, displaying her usual haughty demeanor, signaling she didn't want to entertain his suggestion.

Nolan couldn't help but chuckle in amusement.

Entering the living room, Nolan lit the candles on the chandelier, and suddenly the light filled the entire space, making it appear bright.

"Dear Princess, what's your specialty dish? Would you like to help me prepare dinner?"

Nolan invited Fischl.

"Hmph hmph, so your plan is to taste the 'Die Heilige Sinfonie(Consecrated Symphony),' a dish only the Prinzessin of the Immernachtreich can master! Very well, since it's you, foolish attendant, I shall oblige," Fischl's emerald eyes sparkled with interest, indicating her eagerness to showcase her culinary skills.

Afterwards, the two of them went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Fischl's "Consecrated Symphony" was essentially a cold meat platter arranged with ham, bacon, sausages, and mint.

While not particularly difficult, presenting it beautifully required some effort.

Soon enough, their dinner was ready. Oz, not needing to eat, retreated to the Vision to rest, leaving the two to enjoy their meal undisturbed.

At the dining table, Nolan and Fischl sat next to each other.

"Be grateful, my attendant, for this 'Consecrated Symphony' was specially prepared for you by the Princess herself!"

Fischl proclaimed, crossing her arms under her chest, making her breasts, tightly wrapped in the patterned black silk, appear even more rounded.

Nolan picked up a slice of ham, placed it in his mouth, and found it cool, salty, and unexpectedly delicious.

Unfortunately, eating this cuisine did not have some sort of power boost like in the game.

After all, it was just regular ham and bacon; it couldn't become an extraordinary meal with special effects.

"How is it? Does the Prinzessin's cooking taste good?" Fischl asked, a hint of anticipation on her pale face as she looked over at him.

Nolan closed his eyes in thought, then calmly shook his head, "It's a bit too sweet."

"Sweet?" Through the golden strands of hair falling over Fischl's forehead, her delicate brows furrowed slightly. "This Princess didn't add any sugar, how could it be sweet?"

"It really is a bit sweet. Why don't you try it yourself?" Nolan suggested, not seeming to joke, and used his chopsticks to offer her a slice of ham.

Fischl brushed the hair away from her white ear and uncertainly leaned forward to taste the ham.

As her soft lips touched the thin slice of ham and she sensed a hint of saltiness, the sensation suddenly vanished.

Just in her moment of doubt, Nolan, who had already leaned in close enough, pressed his own lips instead of the thin slice of ham.

Sure enough, it was sweet, he wasn't lying. Nolan thought slightly happily in her heart.

A blush spread across Fischl's face. She instinctively pressed against his shoulders, trying to push him away, but her arms felt relaxed and weak.

What started as an attempt to push Nolan away ended with her arms wrapping around his neck, appearing not very resistant

This feeling isn't so bad... Fischl responded, a bit unused to it.

Seeing Fischl uncharacteristically not resisting, Nolan wrapped his right arm around her back, his left hand caressing her thigh, encased in knee-high black stockings.

The soft, smooth sensation traveled from his palm, reaching her rounded knee. His arm slipped beneath her knee, lifting her onto his lap.

Nolan felt that Fischl's body still had a bit of weight to it, not too much, and just the right amount to match her height as well as her shape.

After a few minutes passed, their lips parted.

"Hmph, foolish attendant, you tricked me again," Fischl murmured, slightly angry, pressing her lips together.

Nolan's hand stayed on her leg, sometimes kneading the white skin under her leather garter, sometimes stroking her rounded, evenly toned calf wrapped in black stockings.

"I didn't trick you. Maybe it's because the dear Princess cooked this meal herself, and I could taste your sweet affection in it," he defended himself.

".Mmm." Fischl had no words for this smooth-talking scoundrel.

"Um, do you want to stay over after dinner? The moon is out, and it's a bit inconvenient to go back now," Nolan suggested.

The soft blue moonlight streamed through the window, mingling with the bright lamp light, creating a subtle glow.

"I... I'm not... mmph..."

Fischl's face turned visibly red, realizing his intentions. But before she could finish her sentence, her lips were silenced once more.

Transparent physical tendrils brushed aside the strands of hair covering Fischl's black eyepatch and gently removed it.

Seeing her emerald eyes up close, he has just one thought - they were truly beautiful.

Fischl's pupils reflected confusion. How was he doing this? His left hand was on her leg, his right arm around her back... wait!

What is this stupid attendant trying to do!?

She felt his hand, which had been on her shoulder, slide down, brushing past her armpit and moving to her front.

And so, the long-awaited night begins....

(Read Chapter 178.1 for 18+ on Patreon.)

On a starless night, the moon reigns supreme, but as time passes, the sun eventually takes its place in the sky.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Nolan's room.

Compared to the previous morning, some things had changed. For instance, a single black boot lay haphazardly near the entrance, causing a minor obstruction.

Usually, boots come in pairs, so it wasn't surprising to find the other boot nearby, under the edge of the bed.

A corner of the blanket draped over the side, touching the boot. Glancing upward, the white blanket was strewn with several items.

There were black lace knee-high stockings with leather garters, a purple and black skirt, a black panty, and a pair of long sleeves.

These belonged to Fischl.

At that moment, she was sleeping beside Nolan under the blanket. And as for the missing thigh-high semi-sheer black stockings, they were likely still on her right leg.

Unfortunately, due to the blanket's cover, he couldn't see them.

Already awake, Nolan turned his head to look at the blonde girl sleeping on his arm, thinking.

It's time to get up and make breakfast so that Fischl has something to eat when she wakes up.

After a gentle kiss on her pale cheek, Nolan quickly got out of bed, dressed, and headed downstairs to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Fischl, who was still sleeping just now, looked at Nolan who was leaving, quirked her lips for a moment, and imperceptibly spat out the word "idiot".

She then pulled up the blanket and wrapped herself in it.

She decided to take two days off from her adventuring duties, not going to the Adventurer's Guild for the time being to carry out an investigation mission.

A short while later, breakfast was ready. Fischl, dressed in long-sleeved pajamas with buttons, yawned as she descended the stairs.

Her steps seemed slightly off-kilter.

"How did you sleep, Dear Princess? Are you feeling alright?" Nolan asked with concern.

"Hmph, I'm fine," Fischl replied, pulling out a chair from under the dining table and sitting down, avoiding eye contact with the impertinent man.

"Haha, here, have some porridge."

Nolan placed a bowl of lean pork porridge in front of her, knowing her character well and not taking offense.

After all, what happened last night was natural, and he hadn't forced her.

"I'm going to take on some commissions at the guild later. Want to join me?" Nolan asked, thinking about the Mora he still needed for the four-star weapon.

"No, I'll rest here for two days. Foolish attendant, you must come back every day to cook for me!" Fischl replied, taking a small sip of the porridge, her emerald eyes gazing at him.

"Of course, that's no problem. I'll also prepare lunch before I head out."

Nolan happily agreed to this arrangement.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: A New Project for Sucrose

After preparing lunch in advance for Fischl, who was feeling unwell, Nolan went out, walking through the bustling streets and alleys.

The brick-paved road had several cracks that had opened up under the long-term pressure from heavily loaded horse-drawn carriages.

The nearby buildings had been somewhat damaged by the windstorm a while ago, and there were still construction teams working on repairs.

Mondstadt City is very large, and with so much housing repair work suddenly coming up, coupled with the limited number of construction workers available, it would take at least one or two months to restore the entire city to its original state.

After a long while, Nolan arrived at the Fountain Square.

Just as he was about to turn right and head down towards the Adventurers' Guild, he happened to see several people gathered around the alchemy table, seeming quite lively.

The Chief Alchemist with light golden hair, Albedo, seemed to be painting.

Sucrose, who wears glasses, Timaeus, and the Captain of the Cavalry from the Knights of Favonius, Kaeya, were watching from the side.

Nolan, with his keen adventurer's intuition, sensed that something was happening. Perhaps there might even be a place where he, an honorary knight, could help out.

After all, it was all about doing commissions and receiving quests, he'd go wherever there was Mora to be earned.

With this thought in mind, Nolan walked over to the alchemy table.

"Good morning, everyone!"

Nolan greeted them with a warm, spring-like smile.

Hearing his voice, everyone except the deeply focused Albedo turned to look in his direction.

Upon seeing Nolan, whom they hadn't seen in a long time, Sucrose was a bit surprised. Timaeus, who works at the alchemy table, occasionally meets him and chats a bit.

For example, about the progress of his project of "extracting raspberry pigment to make non-fading dyes".

"Oh? Isn't this our honorary knight? did something good happen to you recently?"

The Cavalry Captain Kaeya joked with a smile on his dark face.

"Well, just yesterday while on an adventure, I was lucky enough to get a claymore sword prototype..."

Nolan told the story of how he had commissioned the blacksmith shop to build the weapon.

"I see."

Kaeya nodded, somewhat surprised. Even in the Knights' Order, they don't have many of these weapon prototypes in stock.

When he first requested a two-handed sword prototype for Apprentice Knight Noelle to have the craftsmen build the Favonius Greatsword, it was all delayed for a long time before they had a spare one available for her to use.

At this moment, Albedo suddenly stopped his movements, looked at the painting on the canvas, and showed a trace of contemplation.

"What's wrong, Master Albedo? Could it be that the dye I developed isn't good?" Timaeus asked with a hint of confusion.

His non-fading dye had been successfully developed, and the dye Albedo was using now for his painting was the one he had researched.

Unfortunately, since raspberries themselves are yellow, the dye he developed is also only yellow. To use it in painting, it needs to be used as a base and then reconfigured into other colors.

This, of course, is not difficult for a professional painter like Albedo.

"Indeed, it can still be improved.

"However, what I find strange is not this, but rather that I've discovered the Rifthound I've painted seems to be merely a hollow form.

"Even if created, there's no way to study it. Is it really because my understanding is insufficient?" Albedo lowered his gaze and fell into contemplation again.

As a master in the field of "Creation Alchemy", wanting to create something that doesn't exist in the world is actually not as difficult as "replicating" something that already exists.

After all, the former can be done according to one's own understanding, while the latter requires sufficient understanding of the already existing thing.

"..." Faced with such a high-level problem, Timaeus could only scratch his head, completely unable to interject.

"Painting an Rifthound? Are you guys researching something?" Nolan curiously asked the girl with emerald-colored hair.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Albedo wants to research methods to counter the corrosive power of those monsters, so he wanted to try to see if he could draw a living one."

Sucrose, who wore round semi-rimless glasses on her fair nose, answered with a still somewhat shy tone.

I can't believe it's like this? As expected of you Master Albedo, creating one yourself if you don't have research material.

Nolan was stunned for a moment, then felt a bit strange: "If you want a live Rift monster, why not just go to Wolvendom and capture one?"

With Albedo's strength, capturing those monsters should be a piece of cake, right?

"We've already tried that. Ordinary physical restraints have no effect on them as they can traverse through space. Special sleeping drugs are also broken down by the monster blood within them. We currently have no other method, hence this last resort," Albedo shook his head and answered.

"Ah So, you're short on Mora now, right? If you can help Albedo capture a Rift monster, surely the Chief Alchemist won't be stingy with Mora," Kaeya said with a smile, spreading his hands.

"Kaeya, don't joke around. If even Mr. Albedo finds it difficult, how could I possibly do it?" Nolan gave him a helpless look.

If his spiritual power were a bit stronger, he might be able to stun them with his intangible spiritual tentacles, but with his current strength that can only bend spoons, it likely wouldn't have much effect on those monsters' consciousness.

In addition to interfering with real objects, his invisible spiritual tentacles could also attack the enemy's spiritual consciousness.

"No need. The Reconnaissance Company's Captain already sent over a few monster corpses yesterday. Although they disappeared quickly, preventing me from thoroughly studying that corrosive power, I already have some clues about how to treat the wounds that their attacks cause, which can't be healed normally."

Albedo said, folding his arms.

Ever since he saw these monsters, he felt they were very dangerous, and developing methods to counter the power of "corrosion" is imperative.

If one day they emerge on a large scale, it would be a disaster for humanity.

"Mm-hmm. Apart from Mr. Albedo, I've also started a new project related to 'bio-alchemy' for myself.

"That is, to develop something like a topical healing ointment that can quickly heal wounds. This way, when someone is bleeding profusely, we can quickly stop the bleeding."

Sucrose said with a smile on her white face as she twitched her furry emerald-colored ears.

"Oh, I see."

Nolan nodded thoughtfully. It seems the Knights of Favonius already fully understand the danger of the "Bleeding Hounds".

"But you're explaining so clearly, is there something you want me to help with?"

Nolan smiled at the somewhat shy girl.

"Hehe, you've seen right through me. To develop and produce that kind of ointment, we need a type of fungus with excellent hemostatic effects called 'Philanemo Mushroom'. They can usually only be found in the forest.

"Since you've come over, can I ask you to go with me? Um, it's just near the Whispering Woods. Don't worry, I'll provide compensation."

Sucrose touched her ear somewhat embarrassedly, her fair face showing a bashful blush.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Wind Chime Bird

Sucrose mainly wanted someone to handle any monsters they might encounter, so she wouldn't have to fight and could focus on finding the materials she needed.

"Of course, no problem."

Considering Fischl was still at home and he had promised to take care of her for the next two days, Nolan couldn't take on a commission that required traveling too far.

At the very least, He needed to be back by nightfall to prepare dinner.

Since Sucrose said it was near Whispering Woods, the distance was perfect—not too far away.

Thus, Nolan readily agreed.

"Actually, I was planning to wait a few more days until I was better prepared before searching for the Philanemo Mushroom. But we can go now, thanks to you," Sucrose said, her hands behind her back, looking at the ground.

[Sucrose Has Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 200 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.3 (230/300)]

Seeing the affection notification on his character panel, Nolan smiled. He wondered what ability would be given when Sucrose's affection towards him was at max level.

He was a bit excited. After all, Fischl's "Golden Eye of Judgment" had proven incredibly useful.

The ability to clearly see an enemy's strength had greatly helped him avoid inadvertently provoking powerful foes and getting killed.

However, with Sucrose's affection only at level three, it would take some time to reach the maximum.

It seems like he still needed to find more opportunities to spend time with the girls.

"Heh heh, looks like you've sorted it out. There's no time to lose; if you leave now, you can be back earlier," said Kaeya, the cavalry captain, spreading his hands with a slightly resigned expression. "I thought I could slack off today, but Albedo needs my help with some ice element experiments. Just when I was about to head to the tavern for a drink."

"As fellow knights, we should help each other out, shouldn't we?"

Albedo said calmly, his expression gentle but rarely smiling.

"Alright, let's head out," Sucrose nodded, starting toward the city gates, with Nolan following behind.

*Whispering Woods.*

Branches intertwined, forming a dense canopy. Brilliant sunlight filtered through, creating round beams of light.

These beams softly caressed Sucrose's pale knee-high stockings, flickering as her legs moved.

"Ah Mr. Adventurer look over there—a vine climbing up that tree! Let's go check it out," Sucrose exclaimed, a look of excitement on her pale face.

The Philanemo Mushroom, according to Sucrose, was a type of fungus that grew on large green vines, typically appearing ten to twenty days after rain.

In its early stages, the Philanemo Mushroom has a green, round cap indistinguishable from a regular mushroom. As it grows, the top gradually splits open like a cross.

When fully mature, the vine flower mushroom appears to be turned inside out.

Its opened cap resembles a pale yellow flower, which is why it's called the "Vine Flower Mushroom or Philanemo Mushroom."

"We finally found the vine. Let's hope we find something useful," Nolan said. He had been wandering through Whispering Woods with Sucrose for quite some time.

They hadn't found anything substantial so far.

It hadn't rained in over ten days, so the mushrooms were scarce. Additionally, they served as effective hemostatic agents even without processing.

People passing by would typically collect them upon sight.

The two of them approached the vine. The shade provided by the trees made the breeze feel refreshingly cool.

"This vine is too large to pull down. Sucrose, wait here a moment; I'll climb up and take a look."

Nolan eyed the green vine hanging from a tree at least five or six meters high.

"Umm..֫. Alright, be careful."

Sucrose clasped her hands together, her face flushed with a shy blush as she spoke to him.

Finding the vine quite sturdy, Nolan grabbed it, leaned his body, and placed his feet against the tree trunk, slowly walking his way up.

In just over ten seconds, Nolan was standing steadily on the broad branch of the tree. The vine extended a bit higher, but it didn't matter.

He had already spotted the mushrooms described by Sucrose, just within reach above his head.

"Heh, finally found you," Nolan chuckled softly.

He stood on tiptoe, reaching up to pluck the mushroom when suddenly a wind chime-like sound echoed through the quiet forest.

It was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread out.

Nolan sensed the wind around him suddenly becoming chaotic, as if something had dispersed it, forcing it to flee to both sides.

A wave of intense danger surged in his mind, prompting Nolan to abandon his attempt to pick the Philanemo Mushroom immediately.

As Nolan pulled back his hand, he leaned back slightly, his foot slipping off the branch, allowing him to jump down to the ground.

At that moment.

Nolan saw a massive green wind blade strike the spot where he had been standing.

The branch, as thick as his arm, was sliced cleanly, like a block of tofu, revealing smooth surfaces with faint tree rings.

Nolan landed steadily on the leaf-covered ground and cast a serious gaze in the direction from which the wind blade had come.

On the crown of a neighboring tree stood a large green bird, about the size of an adult duck, with a long, hairless tail resembling that of a rat.

Its green tail ended with a wind chime, which must have produced the "ding-ling" sound when it moved.

"What the hell is this?"

Nolan's eyes turned golden as he activated the Eye of Judgment, revealing the creature's level and weaknesses.

*[Level: 50]*

"That's a Wind Chime Bird, a periodically migrating monster across the continent!"

Sucrose, an expert in bio-alchemy, recognized many of Teyvat's creatures and identified the strange bird immediately.

"A monster? That means it's dangerous."

Even in the game, Nolan had never encountered such a monster, and with a level of fifty, it was certainly powerful, and couldn't be underestimated.

"I... I think so... This kinds of monsters likes to eat fungus, it might also have its eyes on that trailing flower mushroom and become hostile to us who want to pick it."

"It must have perceived us as threats trying to take its food," Sucrose explained, adjusting her round, half-frame glasses on her pale nose.

"Perhaps we should leave the mushroom. We don't know where this Wind Chime Bird came from, but it must be very strong if it survived migration to grow this large."

"Alright, let's retreat for now."

Being ten levels below the Wind Chime Bird and with it having aerial advantage, engaging it at such close quarters wasn't wise.

But I won't forget this attack!

Later, once he had put some distance between themselves and the bird, he would show it what a real ambush looked like!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Fierce Battle with the Wind Chime Bird

However, Nolan's idea was quite good, but the stinky bird didn't give him a chance.

The Wind Chime Bird, covered in cyan-green feathers, dug its powerful talons into the tree trunk below, flapped its wings, and sent several wind blades slicing toward them.

"What a fast speed!"

Nolan quickly assessed that dodging these attacks would be difficult for the seemingly fragile Sucrose.

Compared to the last time he went to collect materials with Sucrose, she seemed to have grown quite a bit.

But at level twenty-five, she was no match for the level fifty bird. The difference wasn't just numerical; it was a chasm in combat talent and experience.

For most adventurers, facing an enemy far stronger than themselves meant one thing: retreat. Only those with exceptional skills or cheats, like Nolan, could handle such odds. Even a monster's instinctive retaliation could be deadly for those who provoked it.

Don't do too many unnecessary things.

Even if a monster lacked intelligence, its instinctual counterattacks could be overwhelming for anyone foolish enough to provoke it.

Sucrose, being a scholar, often engrossed in her research, lacked extensive combat experience and had not yet reached the level of Miss Lisa.

Thus, facing the Wind Chime Bird's wind blades left her momentarily stunned. She instinctively let out a cry and shielded her head with her hands.

In that critical moment, Nolan moved swiftly. He sidestepped and pulled Sucrose into his embrace, shielding her head with his arm while diving to the ground.

The wind blades grazed Nolan's back, missing him by a hair's breadth.

"Ugh..."

Sucrose's fair face was pressed against Nolan's chest, her round, half-rimmed glasses askew, causing her some discomfort. Her mouth and nose were blocked by his clothes, making it hard for her to breathe and turning her face red.

Instinctively, she raised her hands and patted Nolan's back, her over-the-knee stockings-clad legs kicking the air in mild struggle.

Realizing Sucrose's discomfort, Nolan quickly rolled over, positioning her on top of him.

Sucrose pushed herself up from Nolan's chest with both hands, the first order of business being to adjust her skewed glasses. Only then did she begin to take deep breaths to relieve her feeling of suffocation.

A few seconds later.

It seemed she only then realized she was sitting on Nolan's abdomen. Her face flushed red as she quickly stood up, extending a hand to him with a panicked tone:

"Ah! Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

Nolan grasped Sucrose's soft hand, even through her gloves, and quickly stood up, shaking his head as he said: "No problem."

"However, it looks like that monster bird doesn't want to let us leave."

He shielded Sucrose behind him, looking up at the monster bird clutching the branch with an innocent expression.

"Thank you. Generally, Wind Chime Birds shouldn't hold grudges once they confirm we're not a threat. This is really strange."

Hearing Nolan say he was fine, Sucrose patted her chest in relief.

She expressed her gratitude, then looked up at the monster bird with some confusion.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 350 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.4 (280/400)]

"Whatever."

Nolan noticed the Wind Chime Bird opening its massive beak, visible cyan wind elements gathering inside. His expression grew serious, but he still spoke with bravado:

"Sucrose, move back and protect yourself. Since it insists on bothering us, I'll take the trouble to take it down and see how a monster bird tastes."

"Ah, okay, please be careful!"

Although Sucrose was a bit worried about Nolan's safety, she knew she couldn't help much against such a powerful foe.

Using a scholar's rational judgment, she decisively retreated to avoid causing him any trouble..

Right at this moment,

The Wind Chime Bird launched the massive wind blades projectile it had been gathering towards them.

As the wind blades projectile passed, branches snapped and leaves were torn away, swirling around it like a tornado.

Nolan raised his hand and continuously slashed out wind blades, cutting into the projectile. As he expected, the two wind elements collided and neutralized each other.

Under his relentless assault, the Wind Chime Bird's wind projectile was quickly dispersed.

The effect was just a little bit of fatigue, but then the effect of the racial specialty of "Abundant Life" manifested itself.

Nolan's stamina rapidly recovered, and soon he was back to nearly his pre-attack state.

If it came to an endurance battle, he wasn't afraid of this damm bird!

Seeing its attack dispersed, the innocent-looking Wind Chime Bird tilted its head in confusion.

Then its entire body began to glow with a cyan light, as if it had received some sort of enhancement. It flapped its wings, leaving the branch, and with a slight shake, its golden, powerful claws struck downwards.

Naturally, Nolan had no intention of meeting its attack head-on. He sidestepped, dodging its strike.

Summoning his Dull Blade from his Delusion, he raised it and slashed at the monster bird's neck—one of its weak points.

In the innocent black eyes of the Wind Chime Bird, a flash of silver from the sword was reflected.

Its claws couldn't defend in time. The cyan light around its body flashed, and it suddenly expanded like a balloon.

The expansion pushed away Nolan's Dull Blade, forcing him back.

His durable adventuring boots left two tracks in the dirt. Fortunately, the Wind Chime Bird's cyan light sphere had no offensive power.

Placing his left hand on the surface of the cyan light sphere, he used it as leverage to leap back and propel himself away.

"Mr. Adventurer, are you alright?"

From a distance, Sucrose retrieved a vial containing unstable Anemo energy and threw it at the monster bird—her only effective means of impacting the Wind Chime Bird.

"Bang!"

The sound of breaking glass echoed through the forest.

A cyan-colored wind spirit was released, whipping up a gust that even disrupted the Wind Chime Bird, momentarily halting its attack.

Seizing the opportunity, Nolan summoned fire elements from his Delusion, forming a small fireball and hurling it towards the bird.

The wind spirit turned crimson instantly, and the Wind Chime Bird, caught within it, seemed to falter as its cyan-green light sphere began to waver.

Just as Nolan was about to press his advantage,

The Wind Chime Bird shuddered, and a violent gale erupted from within it, like a shockwave dispersing everything around it. The entire forest trembled!

As expected of a powerful monster that had reached level fifty. Its mastery of wind elements was extraordinary!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: "Kaboom!"

"Hehehe, fish blasting, Klee is going to blast fish!"

On the path in the middle of the Whispering Woods, a small red figure spread her arms as if embracing the breeze, running rapidly towards the direction of Starfell Lake.

"Wait, little Klee, don't run so fast! Pay attention and watch out for any monsters around!"

Noelle, wearing a maid-style armor, felt a bit helpless at the moment, looking at little Klee with a feeling more tiring than moving things.

No, no, this is the Acting Grand Master's test for me as a trainee knight! As long as I do a good job taking care of little Klee, I'll be one step closer to becoming an official knight!

Noelle's legs, clad in knee-high white armored boots beneath her skirt, moved swiftly as she jogged to keep up with Klee.

Her boots clinked and clanked with each stride, the sounds of metal echoing through the forest.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through, lifting Klee's red hat off her head and sending it spinning onto Noelle's face, covering her eyes..

"Ah!"

Noelle was suddenly blinded, letting out a small cry of surprise. Then she took off the hat, relieved to see Klee hadn't run far.

"Uwu, Klee's hat fell off."

Klee patted her head, spinning around to look in every direction, searching for her lost hat.

"Little Klee, your hat is right here."

Noelle's face lit up with a smile as she placed the red hat back on Klee's head, adjusting it so it fit just right.

"Hooray, my hat isn't lost!" Klee jumped with joy, then turned to the forest ahead, puzzled. "Why was there such a big wind all of a sudden?"

"Yes, and it came from within the forest…" Noelle's gloved hand rested on her pale chin as she pondered.

"Hmph, Klee knows! It must be a big bad guy who blew away my hat. Hehe, Sis Noelle, let's go teach that meanie a lesson!"

Klee, with her brown backpack bouncing, darted off into the woods, excitement radiating from her.

"Hey! Klee, what if we encounter dangerous monsters?"

Noelle sighed and hurried after her.

Klee's energy was boundless, and her curiosity insatiable. She truly took after her mother, the renowned Alice.

...

"Ah!"

Sucrose held onto her hat to prevent it from being blown away, while her cloak, hanging down her back, billowed like a flag in the strong wind.

Although Nolan was nearly blinded by the gusts, saw that the Wind Chime Bird's cyan-colored ball of light had already been shattered. It was the perfect moment for a counterattack.

As he quickly strategized, he sheathed his Dull Blade and drew his Adventurer's Hunting Bow.

Braving the fierce wind, he swiftly nocked a water-element arrow. He chose this type because it required no time to charge with elemental power, allowing him to strike before the bird could recover.

With a swift release, the water-colored arrow streaked through the air, ignoring the short distance, and embedded itself in the bird's head.

The intense water element mixed with blood as it erupted, though the arrow didn't fully pierce through the bird's skull, possibly due to the weapon's limitations.

However, this strike was enough to injure the Wind Chime Bird and stop the gale. The monster bird, now enraged, its eyes filled with blood, turned a deep red.

Its previously innocent expression twisted into a vicious snarl.

"Uh-oh, it looks angry!" Sucrose said, a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Nolan reassured her with a nod.

Now that the monster bird was wounded, its anger mattered less. Its threat level had decreased from before.

The monster bird's attacks might be a bit more violent when it was angry, but due to the effects of the injury, its status would slip quickly.

As long as he could hold out, he would be able to slowly take the advantage into his hands!

As the whirlwind subsided, leaves from the surrounding trees continued to fall, and a ray of sunlight perfectly illuminated Nolan's face.

He didn't hesitate. While the monster bird hesitated and gathered its strength, he drew his Dull Blade and infused it with fire elements, standing his ground to activate the extraordinary "Charge" trait of his swordsmanship.

The monster bird was already marked with water elements from his previous arrow.

If he struck now, the combination of his "charged" sword and the "vaporize" reaction would deal a devastating blow, potentially fatal or severely crippling the bird, if not killed!

Sensing the imminent danger, the enraged Wind Chime Bird instinctively realized that the human before it was preparing a powerful attack. Shaking its aching head, it flapped its cyan wings, sending a barrage of wind blades towards him.

Nolan wasn't about to take them head-on. His sword's charge was sufficient.

With a swift move to the left, he effortlessly dodged the wind blades. Then, planting his foot firmly on the ground, he propelled himself forward like an arrow, cutting through the air and rapidly closing the distance to the monster bird.

In the next moment, the blade, infused with fire elements, twisted and slashed towards the monster bird's chest.

The Wind Chime Bird's fierce gaze sharpened. Not known for its defense, it dared not take the blow head-on.

With a swift flap of its wings, it dodged Nolan's horizontal slash and aimed a talon strike at his head.

But Nolan quickly dropped his body, twisting his torso back, and brought the longsword in his right hand downwards in a sweeping arc.

Seeing this situation, the Wind Chime Bird could only withdraw its attack and continued to fly a little higher.

Just now, it was almost overwhelmed by anger, and it suddenly realized that it could fly.

Why engage in a ground fight with a human when it could dominate from the air, securing an unbeatable position?

While the Wind Chime Bird lacked the intelligence of Abyss Mages, it wasn't entirely foolish. It understood how to leverage its advantages in battle.

Thus, the monster bird ascended to the treetops, launching a barrage of wind blades at Nolan, who had no choice but to dodge frantically.

The wind blades carved deep gashes into the ground behind him.

"Damn, what a cunning monster!"

Nolan had no fear facing it head-on, but he hadn't anticipated that the creature would suddenly wise up and exploit its aerial superiority.

The relentless assault left him no chance to stop and counterattack with his bow.

Realizing that merely dodging wasn't a viable strategy, Nolan paused to think.

He was about to tell Sucrose, who was hiding behind a tree, that he would draw the monster bird's attention so she could escape. He would catch up later.

Suddenly, amidst the sound of wind blades slicing through the air, a voice called out, "Kaboom!"

Nolan then saw a black spherical object flying towards the demon bird in the treetops.

The Wind Chime Bird, puzzled by the slow-moving black sphere, instinctively felt wary of the unknown object.

One wing flapped at the black sphere, expecting to knock it away.

"Boom!"

Like the birth of a new sun in the universe, a fiery explosion erupted next to the monster bird.

The flames and shockwave blasted the Wind Chime Bird, sending it hurtling through the air. It crashed to the ground in a long arc, rolling twice before coming to a stop.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 183: Chapter 183: The Blue Egg (2-in-1 Chapter)

The monster bird, now lying on the ground with its body charred black, struggled to rise.

Nolan naturally took advantage of its vulnerability, showing no mercy. He sheathed his Dull Blade into the air, assuming a sword-drawing stance and gathering energy for a few seconds.

Then, with a sudden burst of force from his legs, he shot forward like a teleportation flash. When he stopped, he was still standing, but the Dull Blade had moved from its "sheathed" position on the left to the upper right, its tip trailing a line of blood.

Behind him, the monster bird that was struggling to get up suddenly froze, then its head separated from its body!

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 2751 Adventure EXP.]

"Phew, finally done. Taking down this demon bird wasn't easy," Nolan said, sheathing his Dull Blade and wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"But that earlier...," he mused, looking towards the forest's edge.

"Honorary Knight brother, Sucrose sis, Klee is here to help you!" A small red badminton uh, no, Klee, came running in from outside, with Noelle following behind.

Sure enough, it was her, a bomb with such awesome power was something only this Spark Knight carried around in large quantities on a regular basis.

"Ah, Klee, why are you here?"

Sucrose had just been slightly surprised at the Wind Chime Bird that had been taken out all of a sudden.

However, after seeing this well-behaved, cute, but somewhat playful little girl she started to understand.

No doubt, Klee had sneaked away from Jean again to go fish-blasting at Starfell Lake. This often resulted in her getting grounded.

"Klee came with Noelle-san to go fish-blasting," she said.

"We just happened to see you guys fighting with this bad bird that almost blew Klee's hat off, so Klee came to help you!"

Klee pointed at the now-dead Wind Chime Bird, her face showing a hint of anger.

"I see," Sucrose adjusted her round half-rimmed glasses and, still puzzled, asked, "Noelle, did you come too? Aren't you worried about Jean, uh, grounding you?"

"Well...," Noelle clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze shifting to the ground, unsure how to respond.

When Little Klee ran out, she wanted to stop her, but in the end, she couldn't argue with her and could only accompany her.

She was a soft-hearted girl.

"Hehe, as long as Sucrose sis doesn't say anything, Noelle sis doesn't say anything, Honorary Knight brother doesn't say anything, Dodoco doesn't say anything, and Klee doesn't say anything, then Acting Grand Master Jean won't know!"

Klee swung the fluffy white doll hanging from her backpack and flashed an innocent smile.

"Ahem, Klee is right. Since we're already out, we might as well have fun. Even if Acting Grand Master Jean finds out and grounds us, it'll be worth it, right?" Nolan nodded and smiled.

"Exactly! Honorary Knight brother, you get it!" Klee nodded vigorously in agreement, even clapping her hands.

"Uh, Miss Sucrose, what brings you here? Running into such a powerful monster is quite unexpected," Noelle asked, touching a strand of her silvery-gray hair, her fair face showing a puzzled expression.

"Ah! Right, I almost forgot to pick the Philanemo Mushroom!"

Sucrose started to answer Noelle's question but then remembered that the Wind Chime Bird was defeated, and she could finally retrieve what she came for.

She glanced shyly at Nolan, then lowered her head, staring at her toes.

"Alright, you two talk. I'll go pick it," Nolan said with a smile, stretching his sore neck.

Despite their friendship, Sucrose's bashful nature made even simple requests a challenge for her, like asking for help to pick a mushroom.

"Th-thank you," Sucrose mumbled, her fingers intertwined, and her pale face flushing with embarrassment.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 226 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.5 (106/500)]

The affection notification popped up again, and Nolan couldn't help but appreciate Sucrose's shyness—it had its advantages, like making it easier for him to earn her affection.

The once turbulent forest, now calmed by the wind, settled down. Nolan approached the large tree from before and climbed up using the vines.

The beige mushroom, resembling an unfurling flower, lay undisturbed in its original spot. Nolan reached out and pinched its bottom, feeling its soft, bread-like texture, then gently plucked it.

At the same time, his gaze inadvertently glanced over to where the bird had been standing earlier. With the bird gone, Nolan's eyes penetrated through two or three trees and spotted a nest made entirely of dry branches and leaves.

There seemed to be a fist-sized egg with a blue-cyan surface inside.

"This is... the Wind Chime Bird's egg?"

Nolan felt confident in his guess; after all, the colors matched perfectly. His adventurer's instinct told him it was something valuable.

However, he didn't rush to take it. Instead, he jumped down from the tree and decided to consult with Sucrose, the resident biologist, first. After all, handling a monster egg might be different from handling ordinary bird eggs.

If mishandled, it could lead to its death, causing its value to plummet—a regrettable outcome.

"What? The Wind Chime Bird's egg?!" Sucrose, who had just finished explaining to Noelle that she was out looking for "Philanemo Mushroom," was surprised to hear the news brought by Nolan.

Such a rare monster's egg was incredibly valuable material for an alchemist like Sucrose, who specialized in biology.

"Wow! An egg! That's great! Klee wants to eat it!" Little Klee was equally excited, though her interest in the egg was quite different from Sucrose's.

"Ah!" Sucrose was shocked by Klee's suggestion, waving her hands frantically.

Her round, half-rim glasses even slipped down to the tip of her nose. "No, no, you can't! This egg is very important for research; it can't be eaten."

"Aww, but Klee wants to eat the egg," Klee said, looking forlornly at Sucrose.

"But, but..."

Sucrose couldn't handle it at all, she was shy and a bit soft-hearted like Noelle, she didn't know how to say no at all.

But she also wanted the Wind Chime Bird's egg so badly that her eyes were so red with anxiety that she was almost about to cry.

"Uh, haha," Nolan scratched his head, thinking of how to defuse the situation.

After a few seconds, he spoke to Klee, "How about this, Klee? Let's give this egg to Sucrose, okay? Then, Sucrose and I will take you to blow up some fish, and we can have a barbecue with that big bird we just defeated. How does that sound?"

Klee's eyes lit up, sparkling like the sun. "Yay! Barbecue and a picnic!" She then turned to Sucrose with a smile, "Hehe, since the big bird egg is very important to Sucrose Sis, Klee won't eat it."

"Phew, thank you," Sucrose patted her slightly heaving chest, wrapped in her dress, and looked gratefully at Nolan.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 180 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.5 (286/500)]

"No need to thank me. Klee is quite understanding," Nolan replied with a smile.

"Here's the mushroom you wanted. Do you need help with that bird egg? Is there anything special I should know about?"

"Please let me do this one on my own as, the wind chime bird's egg is only good if it is warmed with a warm breeze for a while when it is put away in the Vision or when it is moved."

Sucrose said, her hidden furry, light green beast ears twitching slightly.

Nolan had no objections. He believed that professional matters should be left to the professionals.

However, when Sucrose followed him to the tree with the bird's nest and attempted to climb, she found the bark too slippery, providing no good footholds.

"Miss Sucrose, do you need assistance?" Noelle approached the girl, smiling gently.

"Yes, please, Noelle," Sucrose replied, lowering her head with slight embarrassment, her glasses slipping down her nose again.

"All right, please step on my hand," Noelle said, quickly crouching down. Her rose-colored skirt spread over her legs, and the white lace brushed the ground lightly.

She clasped her hands together, palms up, and placed them on the ground, indicating for Sucrose to step up.

Sucrose knew Noelle was strong, so she didn't hesitate to step onto her hands.

"Make sure you stand firm," Noelle said, steadily lifting Sucrose without a hint of wobble.

Sucrose tried to balance herself, her legs encased in semi-transparent stockings trembling slightly with the fear of falling.

"Wow, it's like a crane, Kagome wants to play too!" Klee, with her backpack, exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

Noelle had her hands raised above her head, and Sucrose was just about to grab the tree trunk when Klee's sudden outburst distracted her. She lost her balance and wobbled precariously.

"Ah, careful."

Noelle tried to adjust, but her movement threw Sucrose completely off balance, causing her to slip and fall backward.

"Ah!" Both girls cried out in surprise.

Seeing this, Nolan quickly moved behind Noelle and caught Sucrose as she fell. His left hand supported her back while his right arm was pressed against her soft, stocking-clad legs. The warmth of her skin seeped through to his skin.

Sucrose adjusted her glasses and saw herself cradled in Nolan's arms. Her pale face turned a deep shade of red, her mind almost overloaded. She bit her lip, momentarily speechless.

"Whew, it's good that Miss Sucrose didn't fall."

Noelle said, turning around and placing a hand on her chest with a sigh of relief.

[Noelle Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 230 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.3 (30/300)]]

"Klee sees Sucrose Sis being held. Klee used to be held by Mommy like that when she was little," Klee said, tilting her head in confusion. "Why does Sucrose need to be held now that she's grown up?"

"Um that, please please please put me down first."

Sucrose's face looked even more ruddy when she heard Klee's words. She had taken a long time to muster up the courage to speak.

"Hehe," Noelle chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

After a moment's thought, Nolan decided not to put Sucrose down immediately. Instead, he supported her back with one hand and grabbed her thighs with the other, lifting her up onto his shoulder like riding a horse.

His hands couldn't possibly hold both of Sucrose's legs entirely, so he applied a bit of pressure, his fingers sinking slightly into the soft skin of her thighs, just above the knees.

With Sucrose perched on his shoulder, Nolan's head was nestled against her lower abdomen, while his cheeks brushed against the snow-white skin of her thighs. The warmth from their bodies exchanged through the contact of their skin.

His hands rested on her round knees as he spoke, "I'll jump up in a moment, and you grab onto the trunk above to climb up."

"Ah, o-okay," Sucrose's hands were clasped over his head. She hadn't expected Nolan to suddenly lift her up like this and have her ride on his shoulder like a child.

Standing nearby were Noelle and Klee. Sucrose felt incredibly embarrassed and childish, like a little kid. How could Mr. Nolan be so rough? Sucrose blushed, silently complaining.

Thankfully, only Noelle and Klee were present. If there had been more people, her brain might have overheated and she would have fainted from embarrassment.

So immature!

"Wow, it's like riding a horse!" Klee's eyes sparkled with excitement. She turned to the apprentice knight beside her, "Noelle Sis, Dodoco and I want to try too!"

"Huh? Okay," Noelle readily agreed to such a small request.

Once Sucrose was ready, Nolan bent his knees and gently leapt up. Sucrose easily grabbed the tree trunk and climbed up.

She quickly forgot the embarrassing moment as she looked at the bird's nest and the blue-cyan egg inside.

What kind of genetic material would this rare magical creature have?

If she could combine its genes with those of the knights' white horses, could she create a pegasus?

If she wanted to create a fairyland that was uniquely her own, an existence like a Pegasus should be a must, right?

Creating her own paradise had been her dream since childhood and the reason she studied "biological alchemy." But limited by her skill and lack of materials, she was stuck with quadruple-sized sweet flowers and sixfold dandelion seeds.

She was still far from creating the fantastical creatures of her dreams.

Even with the Wind Chime Bird's egg, she needed to finish her current research on a hemostatic ointment first.

Sucrose gently nurtured the egg with wind elemental energy.

After about ten minutes, the egg looked more vibrant, so she stored it in her Vision.

According to the book, after being nourished by wind elemental energy, moving the egg wouldn't harm it. However, it should be settled within a day, or its vitality would weaken.

"Sucrose, should I catch you when you come down?" Nolan called up, seeing Sucrose hesitate.

"Hey no need, I'm also a bit strong, it's not so bad that I can't even jump down from a few meters high tree, and isn't there still the Wind Glider!"

Sucrose's fair face turned red again. She was about to spread her Wind Glider when the tree trunk she was standing on wobbled, and she slipped.

"Ah!" she cried out as she fell, first landing on the tree trunk with her soft rear, then tumbling headfirst towards the ground, forgetting to open her Wind Glider.

"Careful!" Noelle shouted, concerned. Even though Vision holders wouldn't get hurt from a fall, it would still be painful and messy.

Luckily, Nolan was quick to react.

He easily caught the falling girl in his arms.

"Phew, that was close," Sucrose pushed her glasses up and said with relief. She might have been fine, but her glasses could have broken.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings towards You. Obtained 200 Affection Points. Current Affection level: Lv.5 (486/500)]

"Sister Sucrose, be careful when you stand on trees from now on!"

Klee, sitting on Noelle's shoulders, advised like a little adult.

"Um, got it," Sucrose, embarrassed, shifted her gaze to the ground, nervously rubbing her hands together.

"Alright, we have the bird egg and the mushroom. So next…"

Nolan looked at her like this with some secret amusement in his heart, then thoughtfully said.

"Blow up fish! Picnic!" Klee cheered before he could finish.

"Uh, that's right!" Nolan said with a smile on his face as he nodded.

Next.

They then headed towards Starfell Lake with the dead monster bird. When they arrived, it was noon, time to prepare lunch.

Noelle accompanied Klee to the small island with the Statue of The Seven in the lake's center to blow up fish.

Nolan and Sucrose collected some sticks and built a simple campfire by the shore, preparing to grill the bird.

As they plucked and cleaned the bird's feathers, they also cut the meat into pieces and skewered it on sticks.

The continuous explosions from Klee's bombs echoed across the water. As time passed, the meat was cooked.

Klee and Noelle returned with their catch of fish.

However, none of them noticed the red, furry Abyss Mage in the nearby forest, watching them in astonishment.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Bad Guys

To be precise, the Fire Abyss Mage was not watching Nolan and his companions but rather the brown backpack that Klee carried.

"Why does this little girl have such a powerful treasure!"

The Pyro Abyss Mage felt shocked and then a bit greedy.

Any of those explosive treasures she casually threw out seemed to rival its own full-force attack. If it could obtain that treasure...

It would easily complete the mission of disrupting the peace of the Seven Nations in the future, and even climb ranks effortlessly within the Order, becoming the elite among elites!

"That magical backpack that can produce explosive treasures continuously, this mage must find a way to get it!"

The Pyro Abyss Mage thought so cunningly.

By the grassy shore, the four sat around the campfire, the aroma of meat and seasoning wafting with the smoke.

"Mmm, the monster bird meat is so tender and refreshing, almost like the texture of Anemo Slime!"

Noelle took a bite of the meat skewer, and the right amount of oil and seasoning exploded in her mouth, causing her to squint her eyes and reveal a satisfied smile on her fair face.

"It's really delicious!" Klee held a bird meat skewer, her hands oily from eating. "Sucrose Sister and Honorary Knight Brother are so good at grilling!"

"No, it's just simple grilling, nothing too fancy," Sucrose waved her hand, blushing a little, then modestly said.

Nolan was busy preparing the several black-banded fish Klee had bombed, smearing them with various seasonings and skewering them on sticks to roast over the charcoal fire.

In his personal opinion, barbecue was simple as long as the seasonings were right, and as long as you avoided burning it, the taste would be basically the same.

After all, his cooking skills were barely passable, and he couldn't do it to the extent of being praised too much by others.

A cool breeze carrying moisture from the lake blew over, feeling refreshing with a hint of chilliness.

As Nolan and the others ate their barbecue and felt almost full, they suddenly heard a "Ya!" sound.

This sound was familiar to everyone present; it was the alert sound the Hilichurls made when they spotted enemies.

As expected, a bunch of Hilichurls appeared on both sides of the forest, attracted either by the aroma of the barbecue or for some other reason.

Anyway, They looked at the group and charged over with axes and wooden clubs in hand.

"Ah, where did these monsters come from!"

Sucrose and the others quickly stood up, ready to fight back, with a hint of nervousness evident on her face.

"Be careful, let me block them!"

Noelle took out the Favonius Greatsword, and at the same time, a translucent shield enveloped her, then she pushed off the ground, causing the grass to fly.

She charged like a bull, knocking two small Hilichurls in front of her flying.

Then she collided head-on with the only Hilichurl Berserker among them.

The strong arms of the Hilichurl Berserker pressed against Noelle's Geo shield, but its immense force still pushed it back uncontrollably!

Deep marks were left on the grass by her feet.

Noelle... has such great strength!

Nolan, preparing to aim and shoot with his bow and arrow, couldn't help but be amazed at the situation over there.

After all, in his Golden Eye of Judgment, Noelle was only at level 32 at this moment, while the Hilichurl Berserker she was grappling with was level 41!

Truly a girl with innate divine power. Nolan sighed, and his arrow was released.

The next moment, it hit the forehead of a crossbow-wielding Hilichurl.

Even the water-type Hilichurl Shaman in the rear had no chance to use its 'Prayer for Rain' to heal.

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 278 Adventure EXP.]

"Hmph, Klee will also help defeat these bad guys too!"

Klee directly pulled out a black bomb from her bag of wonders or was it her Vision? and was about to run forward to throw it at the Hilichurls.

Suddenly, she felt something pulling her back, no matter how she ran, she couldn't move forward.

Klee looked back in confusion and saw a strange, fluffy red creature pulling her backpack.

"Kekeke! Little brat, hand over your backpack to this mage, I'll make good use of it!"

The Pyro Abyss Mage chuckled, intending to snatch Klee's backpack while the others were occupied with the Hilichurls.

"Ewww! Bad guy, Klee won't give you Klee's backpack, Dodoco, let's take it back together!"

Klee, realizing that this strange creature wanted to steal her backpack, glared at it angrily.

At the same time, she also said a word to her "first friend" Dodoco hanging by the side of the backpack.

She used her small hands to pull on the straps of the backpack, trying not to let it be taken away.

The first to notice the situation here was Sucrose. She saw a Pyro Abyss Mage actually trying to snatch the backpack from Klee and immediately became nervous.

She raised her hand, intending to attack with Wind Elemental Attack, but suddenly realized that it might endanger Klee, so she had to dismiss that idea.

In a moment of urgency, Sucrose shouted, "Klee, don't worry, Sister Sucrose will help you."

She swiftly moved her legs, clad in over-the-knee stockings, and ran over to Klee, pulling on the backpack together.

"Darn it!"

The feeble Pyro Abyss Mage couldn't overpower them for a moment.

"Since you're asking for death, don't blame this mage for being impolite!"

The Pyro Abyss Mage, furious and ashamed, suddenly let go, causing Sucrose and Klee to fall to the ground with the backpack.

It waved its staff, and red fire elements gathered in front of it into a huge fireball, which it then pushed gently towards Sucrose and Klee.

"Yikes!"

Sucrose, who hadn't had time to retaliate, instinctively cried out in panic and hurriedly shielded Klee.

"What!"

Nolan heard the commotion not far behind him and also sensed the danger facing Sucrose and Klee.

That Pyro Abyss Mage was indeed cunning, actually sneaking around to their rear.

The top priority was still to find a way to block that fireball. If it hit Sucrose and the others, especially Klee, causing her injury, then the Acting Grand Master of Knight of Favonius would definitely not forgive Noelle, who failed to protect Klee, and Nolan himself would also be blamed without any surprise.

Moreover, even if he got injured himself, he wouldn't want to see girls getting hurt in front of him.

So Nolan didn't hesitate much, directly unleashing his fastest speed to stand in front of them. With a "bang," the scorching fireball hit his chest.

First, his clothes were burned with a hole, then a burning sensation crazily rushed to his brain!

Nolan gritted his teeth, trying hard not to make a sound. And in the moment when the fireball disappeared, he condensed a vortex of wind elements in his palm.

With a light tap of his boot, he dashed forward, and the vortex slammed into the Pyro Abyss Mage's elemental shield!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Anemo Slime Balloon

The spinning vortex continually dispersed the fire elements from its elemental shield, gradually wearing it down. This was the most effective method Nolan had mastered for depleting elemental power.

Although water-element arrows could deplete fire elements more significantly in a single hit, their duration was too short. The continuous dispersion efficiency of wind elements was much higher overall.

Of course, if he could imbue his wind vortex with water elements first, breaking the shield would be even faster!

"Bastard human, how dare you ruin this mage's plan!"

The Fire Abyss Mage said angrily.

However, it felt that its elemental shield was rapidly depleting, and had no choice but to teleport away first.

Nolan felt his right hand suddenly empty, causing him to stumble slightly forward. The Pyro Abyss Mage had vanished, but he sensed it was still nearby, likely planning another attack.

With this in mind, Nolan retreated back to Sucrose and Klee to prevent any surprise assaults.

"Ah, Honorary Knight Brother, there's a big hole in your chest! Did it get burned?" Klee asked in a slightly amazed tone, staring at Nolan.

Sucrose's pale face was filled with worry as she asked, "Are you seriously hurt?"

"It's not a big deal. My body has a high defense. Though my skin looks burned, it only hurt for a moment. Now it's fine," Nolan replied with a smile.

He was telling the truth.

Having reached level forty, even without armor, the elemental damage from enemies of the same tier couldn't seriously injure him.

"Well, that's relief."

Sucrose said, exhaling slightly as she placed a hand over her lightly heaving chest after inspecting his wounds and confirming there were no major issues.

After all, Nolan got hurt protecting them. If he had suffered a severe injury, she would have felt extremely guilty.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (306/600)]

"Hmph, that red furry creature not only tried to steal Klee's backpack but also hurt the Honorary Knight Brother. It's so annoying!" Klee said angrily, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hehe, don't worry. Once we find it, we'll show it that angering our 'Spark Knight' Klee has consequences," Nolan said while scanning the area.

The Pyro Abyss Mage was nowhere in sight for now, but he noticed Noelle, who was single-handedly battling a group of Hilichurls, was unstoppable.

With her Geo Elemental Shield, the Hilichurls could barely harm her.

Meanwhile, the splendid Favonius Greatsword was imbued with Geo elements.

This triggered an Elemental Burst, complementing Noelle's immense strength. The Hilichurls stood no chance against her!

Seeing Noelle on the verge of defeating the Hilichurls, Nolan swiftly eliminated the water Shaman and other smaller Hilichurls with a series of arrows from behind. Finally, he dealt a surprise blow to the Hilichurl berserker fighting Noelle, swiftly ending the battle.

[Defeated Powerful Enemies*5, Obtained 2170 Adventure EXP].

Upon seeing the Hilichurls successfully defeated with Nolan's assistance, Noelle quickly returned to the group and asked, "Are you all alright? I saw you were fighting a Abyss Mage. How did it go?"

"No, we don't know if it ran away or what," Sucrose said, pushing her round half-frame glasses up her nose with her snow-white finger.

"How about we head back? To prevent that Abyss Mage from bringing in more monsters!" Noelle suggested.

It was afternoon now, the sun had shifted slightly, casting longer shadows over everyone. Despite not being summer, it wasn't uncomfortably hot.

Nolan pondered for a moment and agreed with her assessment. The Abyss Mage's mobility was too strong; if they couldn't defeat it, it would just teleport away, leaving them helpless.

To counter this, they needed to break its shield during the brief cooldown after teleportation.

Otherwise, when it recovered it would also be ready to retreat, too helpless!

"Yeah, let's go back. We've done everything we came out here to do anyway," Nolan nodded in agreement.

No one objected. After quickly packing their things, as they started walking back along the dirt path...

The Pyro Abyss Mage suddenly teleported in front of Nolan and the others, blocking their path with a wicked grin and village laugh 'Kekeke':

"Hmph, it's too late to leave now. Come out, my strongest warrior!" It raised its staff, as if addressing someone.

"Hey, did it go to find reinforcements?" Sugar covered her mouth with both hands, nervously looking around, but didn't seem to notice anything unusual.

"Strange, why is there a shadow above us?"

Klee looked down at her tiny shadow, as if it was being obscured by a larger shadow. Moreover, that shadow seemed to be enlarging and "devouring" other shadows.

Upon hearing Klee's confusion, everyone slightly raised their heads to look above, and to their surprise, an astonishing sight unfolded before them.

A massive Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl was riding down slowly on a "hot air balloon" made from a large Anemo Slime, descending from above everyone's heads!

Nolan's golden eyes narrowed as he gazed from afar at the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl on the Anemo Slime balloon.

*[Level: 59]*

"Uh-oh, run!"

Realizing the formidable strength of the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl, Nolan immediately lifted Klee onto Noelle's shoulders and, amidst Sucrose's astonishment, grabbed her while pulling Noelle along to run!

Their speed was so swift that not even the Pyro Abyss Mage could react in time.

It had intended to continue threatening these humans to hand over that explosive treasure, but hadn't expected them to act so decisively!

"Wow, it's as fast as the wind!"

Klee, riding on Noelle's shoulder as she galloped, exclaimed excitedly.

On the other hand, Sugar, nearly shaken off with her glasses almost falling, managed to catch them in time with her sharp reflexes, tucking them back into her Vision.

To prevent herself from being jostled off, she had to wrap her arms around Nolan's neck and whispered close to his ear while peering behind them:

"Mr. Adventurer, please run faster, I think I see those two monsters catching up!"

"Mm."

Feeling the warm breath near his ear, Nolan nodded silently.

Although the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl was only a bit higher in level at 59 compared to the earlier monster bird, the fight between the two was like night and day in terms of combat prowess.

(End of Chapter)

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